'Unwarranted': India condemns UN official's statement on arrest of Teesta Setalvad

New Delhi, Jun 29: India on Wednesday dismissed as "completely unwarranted", a statement by a UN official condemning the arrests of activist Teesta Setalvad and 'two other persons'.

"We have seen a comment by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding legal action against Teesta Setalvad and 2 other persons. The remarks are completely unwarranted and constitute an interference in India's independent judicial system," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a statement, according to news agency ANI.

"Authorities in India act against violations of law strictly in accordance with established judicial processes. Labeling such legal actions as persecution for activism is misleading and unacceptable," says MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

The UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has voiced concern over the arrest and detention of social activist Setalvad and called for her immediate release.

"#India: We are very concerned by the arrest and detention of #WHRD @TeestaSetalvad and two ex-police officers and call for their immediate release. They must not be persecuted for their activism and solidarity with the victims of the 2002 #GujaratRiots," the UN Human Rights office said in a tweet on Tuesday.

Setalvad and retired IPS officer RB Sreekumar have been arrested in a case related to alleged fabrication of evidence to frame innocent persons in connection with the 2002 Gujarat riots. They are in custody of the Gujarat police till July 2.

Their arrests over the weekend came a day after the Supreme Court upheld the clean chit given by an SIT to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 riot case.