FRAUD CASE: SC EXTENDS STAY ON TEESTA’S ARREST BY SIX DAYS

NEW DELHI: Staying the arrest of social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband for another six days, the Supreme Court on Friday made it clear that it would examine independently the case against them.

A bench of justices SJ Mukopadhyaya and NV Ramana refused to get bogged by the political statements of Setalvad’s lawyer, Congress leader Kapil Sibal and observed: “We will look into the allegations in the FIR mainly. Let it be very clear, we will be looking at the case not by names but like the case of any ordinary individual.”

Teesta and her husband are accused of embezzling funds for a museum at Ahmedabad’s Gulbarg Society that was devastated in the 2002 riots. The Gujarat high court had on Thursday dismissed their anticipatory bail plea. The SC bench headed by the CJI had, however, stayed the arrest for a day.

Sibal urged the court to protect Setalvad as she was one of the few activists who took on the state. The hearing, during which additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta opposed Teesta’s appeal, witnessed constant interruptions by advocates-activists present in the court to support her.

When Mehta alleged Teesta misused the funds, she received to build the memorial, by purchasing branded clothes and shoes, former Indira Jaisingh retorted:”What about the Prime Minister wearing a `10 lakh suit.”

This did not go down well with the bench. Granting an opportunity to Teesta to place documents supporting her claim for bail, the court fixed February 19 to hear the matter.

Sibal said Setalvad and her husband were left with no option but to approach this court as the state government with its full might was hell-bent to arrest them.