SC issues notice to Guj govt on de-freezing Teesta's NGO accounts

New Delhi, Aug 17: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Gujarat government on a plea filed by activist Teesta Setalvad challenging a decision in which accounts of her NGO were frozen. The Supreme Court directed the Gujarat government to file its reply while posting the matter to August 21.

During the course of the hearing, counsel for the Gujarat government sought two weeks time to file a reply. The matter will next be heard on August 21 as per the directive of the Supreme Court.

Teesta Setalvad had moved the Supreme Court seeking de-freezing of the accounts of two of her NGOs- Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace. The Gujarat police had frozen the accounts of the NGO in 2014. The police is investigating an alleged embezzlement case.

She had challenged the order of the Gujarat high court upholding the decision of a metropolitan court rejecting their pleas to de-freeze the bank accounts observing it may affect the investigation of the case. The lower court in its order had also observed that the accused did not cooperate with the investigation of the case.

It was alleged that Teesta had collected Rs 1.51 crore from national and international donors promising to convert Gulbarg society into a museum for the 2002 riots but later used the money allegedly for personal use.

It was contended that the bank accounts of Citizens for Justice and Peace were frozen from January 2014 although CJP had nothing to do with the receipt of foreign funds by Sabrang Trust.

OneIndia News