By Priya Gour
Published on July 31, 2022 at 19:26 IST
Additional Principal Judge Dilipkumar Dhirajlal Thakker of Gujarat Court held that Teesta Seetalvad and R.B. Sreekumar instigated Zakia Jafri to file complaint against the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and other officials in relation to Gujarat Riots. And therefore, the court denied bail to activist Teesta Setalvad and former DGP of Gujarat RB Sreekumar.
The two were arrested by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) following the Supreme Court’s decision action against those who had made false allegations against State of Gujarat regarding its handling of the 2002 communal riots.
They had been booked under Sections 194 (giving or fabricating false evidence), 211 (false charge of offence), 218 (public servant framing incorrect record), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged document as genuine) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the (IPC) 1860.
The court said there has been filing of false documents and affidavits by the accused with an intention to defame the government in India as well as abroad .Efforts have been made for monetary benefit from other countries for their personal aspirations.
The Court observed, “It apparently appears that Zakia Jafri had been used as a tool by both the applicants-accused and others with a view to accusations levelled against the then C.M and others about incident was of larger conspiracy and with a view to that they have prepared false number of affidavits and documents, in-spite of the things, which were not in real with a view to defame the then C.M. as well as bureaucrat and police personals as well as to defame country.”
The Court resisted setting a wrong example by granting the accused bail, thereby discouraging such malpractices in future. It also noted:
“If the applicants-accused are enlarged on bail then it would impliedly encourage to the wrong does that in-spite of doing such type of accusations against the then C.M. and others, the Court has lightly enlarged the accused on bail.”
The court expressed disappointment with the actions of Govt. officials, especially R.B. Sreekumar and said that such officials be ‘kept in the dock for keeping pot boiling.
