Gujarat ATS detains activist Teesta Setalvad, takes her to Ahmedabad a day after SC verdict on 2002 riots

Mumbai, Jun 25: The Gujarat anti-terrorism squad (ATS) on Saturday detained activist Teesta Setalvad in Mumbai and was taken to Ahmedabad. She was taken from her residence in Juhu to the police station in connection with a case relating to her NGO.

Setalvad, on her part, lodged a complaint with Santacruz police station in Mumbai claiming that the "arrest" was illegal and she apprehended a threat to her life. "Teesta Setalvad has been picked up by the Gujarat ATS from Mumbai," a PTI source in the Gujarat ATS said.

Reports say that a first information report was filed against several persons, including Setalvad on Saturday. Her lawyer Vijay Hiremath alleged that the ATA assaulted her. We were not informed. They barged into her house and took her.

He also said that the police were applying charges under Section 468 (forgery and cheating) and 471 (Using as genuine a forged), 194 (Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence.), 211 (False charge of offence made with intent to injure), 218 (Public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture) and 120B (Punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

A police officer in Mumbai said Ahmedabad police detained Setalvad from her residence in Santacruz and took her with them after intimating local police. "She also gave a written complaint to Santacruz police station (when she was taken there) and they are processing it," said the official.

Setalvad's complaint alleged that Gujarat police "barged into" her compound, did not show her a copy of the FIR or warrant against her, and there was a "big bruise" on her left hand. "I fear seriously for my life," her complaint added.

It comes a day after a three-judge bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar, upheld the Special Investigation Team or SIT's 2012 clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Gujarat riots case, and said that Setalvad, co-petitioner in the case, exploited the emotions of Zakia Jafri.

"All those involved in such abuse of process need to be in the dock and proceeded with in accordance with law," the judges said, adding that the appeal was filed under "dictation of someone."

Gujarat ATS detained and took activist Teesta Setalvad to Santacruz police station in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/X72wZ1pyee

— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2022

"Antecedents of Teesta Setalvad need to be reckoned with and also because she has been vindictively persecuting this lis [dispute] for her ulterior design by exploiting the emotions and sentiments of Zakia Jafri, the real victim of the circumstances," the apex court said in its order.

#WATCH Mumbai: Gujarat ATS leaves Santacruz police station after detaining Teesta Setalvad pic.twitter.com/7qmyfIeyj5

— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2022

The case pertains to what came to be known as Gulbarg Society incident, in which 68 people, including former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, were killed in the riots triggered by the burning of a train coach in which 59 pilgrims perished in February 2002. A decade later, the SIT report, exonerated Narendra Modi, citing "no prosecutable evidence" in the Gulbarg Society case, ANI reported.

On Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah slammed Setalvad after the Supreme Court dismissed the plea challenging chean chit to the Prime Minister.

"I have read the judgement very carefully. The judgement clearly mentions the name of Teesta Setalvad. The NGO that was run being run by her - I don't remember the name of the NGO- had given baseless information about the riots to the police," Amit Shah, in an exclusive interview, told ANI.