The Centre is trying to keep human rights lawyer and activist Teesta Setalvad embroiled in fighting her own legal cases in an effort to divert her energies from cases of ongoing 2002 Gujarat riots cases coming up for hearing. This was the key conclusion of a public hearing organised on the Union government’s hounding of the Ms. Setalvad, here on Monday, by a group of civil society representatives including Supreme Court lawyers, members of Swaraj Abhiyan, Jan Aawaz and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties.
Teesta Setalvad told The Hindu over telephone that Citizens for Justice and Peace was providing legal aid to 75 Gujarat riots survivor witnesses right now and it was important to keep a track record of survivor witnesses to ensure justice in the riots cases, but her implication in the funds misappropriation case foisted by the CBI was interfering with her ability to continue working on the upcoming riots cases.
Senior Supreme Court advocate Kamini Jaiswal said the CBI chargesheet against her cited “lobbying with political parties” and “writing opinion articles in newspapers and magazines by Teesta and her husband Javed Anand” as violative of FCRA laws, prompting the case against them. Not maintaining exclusive bank accounts for receipt of foreign contribution was also cited as a reason, but these charges aren’t legitimate Ms. Jaiswal said.
“Can writing opinion articles in newspaper columns and magazines on the issue of communal violence violate the FCRA law or pose a threat to national security?” Ms. Jaiswal asked.
“Many of the riots survivors are poor and illiterate, and they would not know what the nuances of law are. It is Teesta who is working day and night to bring their documents on record,” she said.
Another charge against Teesta was that she had misappropriated Rs.4.6 lakh collected to build a memorial for Gulberg society riot victims. “However audited accounts show that this money remains untouched, but the MHA has bundled this amount with the rest of the foreign contributions her organisation received for other works and accusing them of misusing large amounts of money,” Ms. Jaiswal said.
Eminent lawyer Prashant Bhushan said that both the BJP and the Congress were held violating the FCRA law as they were accepting foreign donations running into crores by the Delhi High Court in a case a year ago, however, they were yet to come clean on the matter. “The case against Teesta Setalvad is on weak grounds,” he said.
Ongoing Gujarat riots cases to be affected because of CBI case against Teesta |
1. Naroda Patiya appeal, coming up on July 28 in the Gujarat High Court. This involves all appeals including that of Maya Kodnani. Citizens for Justice and Peace was planning to present 75 survivor witnesses appeals in court against the appeal of the accused. |
2. Zakia Jafri case, coming up on August 4. The Gujarat High Court will begin the final hearing based on an application filed by against a lower court's clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 59 others in the 2002 riots case. |
3. Sardarpura case, in which 32 people were killed, coming up for hearing on August 9. The appeal for bail filed by accused are pending. |
4. Naroda Gaam Sessions Case, investigating 11 killed on February 28, 2002, is still under trial. |
5. Gulberg Trial Sessions Case, investigating 69 killed on Feb 28 including Ehsan Jafri (former Cong MP), is still under trial. |
6. 32 convictions in Gujarat riots cases got by Citizens for Peace and Justice are now being sought to be overturned. |
