Social activist Teesta Setalvad has moved to Supreme Court after Gujarat High Court rejected her bail plea today. The High Court has also asked her to surrender immediately in the allegation of fabrication of documents by Setalvad in framing the state government in relation to the 2002 Gujarat riots when Prime Minister Narendra Modi served as the chief minister of the state.
A special bench of the Supreme Court is expected to hear the case soon whereas Gujarat High Court asked Setalvad to surrender immediately. Gujarat High Court while rejecting the plea said that Teesta Setalvad tried to topple a democratically elected government and affect the image of the CM and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi while trying to send him to jail.
Court led by Justice Nirzar Desai said that Setalvad by fabricating the documents tried to send innocent people to jail and enlarging her will will send a false signal that everything in a democratic country is lenient. Court also rejected lawyer’s request to give her 30 days surrender period.
Setalvad was arrested along with former Gujarat Director General of police RB Sreekumar and ex-IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt by Ahmedabad Crime Branch police for fabrication of evidence to frame “innocent people” the riots that gripped the state post Godhra incident. She was granted interim bail by supreme court on September 2, 2022.
In its judgement High Court said that Setalvad used her close associates in framing innocent people and riot victims to produce false and fabricated documents before the supreme court to unseat the establishment and tarnish the image of then chief minister (Narendra Modi). Some outside forces may also utilize people to make efforts in causing danger to the nation or to the particular state by adopting the same modalities.
Granting her bail will send a false message and encourage others to act in a similar manner, the court added.
Padma Shri Awardee and Former member of planning commission Teesta Setalvad ‘made attempts to create a atmosphere to unsettle a democratically elected government and disrupt the image of than chief minister of the state, the court added while rejecting the plea.
