Teesta Setalvad, husband denied anticipatory bail

Ahmedabad, Feb 1: The Bombay High Court has refused to grant anticipatory bail to social activist

and her husband Javed Anand in connection with cheating and breach of trust case filed against them by victims of 2002

violence.

The court however, granted the couple transit anticipatory bail for four weeks and have been directed to appear before a court within this period.

The court had granted interim relief to them on January 10, 2014 protecting them from arrest till Friday.

One of the riot victims from Gulbarg housing society, which was burnt during the 2002 post Godhra riots, had lodged a complaint with the Ahmedabad police against Teesta, Anand and the NGOs run by them - Citizens for Justice and Peace and Sabrang Trust alleging misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 1.51 crores by them.

According to the complaint, the accused persons had allegedly collected funds in the name of converting part of the Gulbarg society into a museum and had allegedly misappropriated funds worth Rs 1.51 crores. Teesta and Anand's advocate Arshad Shaikh said that even though the case was registered in Ahmedabad, they could get anticipatory bail from Bombay High Court as there are judgements of the Supreme Court which say that a person can get relief from the High Court in the state where they reside, for a case registered in another state.

According to Teesta and Anand, they have been implicated in the case and are victims of political vendetta. They claim that they are being targeted by the perpetrators of the riots.

In 2006, the social activists decided to build a museum - Museum of Resistance - at the remains of the Gulbarg society. Accordingly in 2009, a part of the plot was sold to Sabrang trust.

However, in 2012, the idea of the museum was dropped as the prices escalated. The same was communicated to the society. But, according to the complaint filed against Teesta, funds were collected by her despite the idea being dropped.

Oneindia News
(With PTI inputs)