The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand to cooperate with the Gujarat Police regarding a case filed against them over alleged misappropriation of funds.
After Additional Solicitor-General SV Raju submitted that the couple were not cooperating in the probe, a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Justice SK Kaul passed the order.
"Charge sheet has not yet been filed. ASG submits that there is an element of lack of cooperation. Be that as it may, the respondents will cooperate with the investigation as and when required," said the bench, also comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and PK Mishra.
The top court disposed of a plea by the Gujarat government challenging the grant of anticipatory bail in the matter and also disposed of Setalvad's plea seeking the expungement of remarks made by the Gujarat High Court in its February 8, 2019 judgement while granting her anticipatory bail, saying that it won't have any influence in the trial.
The case of alleged misappropriation of funds was registered by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch on a complaint accusing Setalvad and Anand of "fraudulently" securing grants of Rs 1.4 crore from the union government through their NGO Sabrang Trust between 2008 and 2013.
Notably, Setalvad and two others - former state Director General of Police R B Sreekumar and former Indian Police Service officer Sanjiv Bhatt - were arrested by the city crime branch in June 2022 on charges of forgery and fabricating evidence with the intent to implicate the Gujarat government functionaries in the 2002 riots cases.
A sessions court had rejected Setalvad’s discharge plea in the case in July after the Supreme Court granted her bail following the denial of relief to her by the Gujarat High Court. Setalvad then moved the Gujarat HC seeking quashing of the FIR.
Earlier this month, Setalvad's house was searched by the probing officials as part of raids in 30 locations linked to digital news website NewsClick and some journalists associated with the media company.
(with PTI inputs)
