The Supreme Court has very categorically upheld the clean chit to Modi in Gujrat riots of 2002 given by the Supreme Court appointed SIT. The more importantly the Supreme Court also dismissed the petition filed by Zakia Jafri, wife of MP Ehsan killed in riots and activist Teesta Setalvad. Their allegation was against Modi for a larger conspiracy in the riots. The court also specifically held IPS officers RB Sreekumar and Sanjay Bhatt for giving false testimonies to implicate Modi in the riots.
The court was convinced with the findings of the SIT and the court ordered action against the disgruntled people. In a rare expression of anguish against the petitioners, the court directed that all those involved in this abuse of process need to be in the dock and proceeded with in accordance with law. The Gujarat police has quickly come into action to register FIR against Teesta Setalvad and the two officers
Teesta Setalvad is a civil rights activist and journalist. She, her husband Javed and some other film personalities formed an NGO, Citizens for Justice and Peace. This organisation was formed for the victims of 2002 Gujarat riots. The NGO forthwith began to litigate in various courts against the alleged complicity of the Chief Minister Modi and government of Gujrat in the riots. What is intriguing is that Setalvad was desperate to prove involvement of Modi in the riots. There were allegations against her that she even concocted many witnesses. Teesta Setalvad had cooked up cases of violence to highlight the incidents. The SIT which was headed by former CBI director, R K Raghavan had said that false witnesses were tutored to give evidence about imaginary incidents by Teesta Setalvad and some NGOs. Teesta Setalvad’s former aide Rais Khan Pathan had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court alleging manipulation of evidence, which were in the form of statements of witnesses, by her in five sensitive post-Godhra riot cases.
Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed were also implicated in misappropriation of the funds of their NGO. In 2013, twelve residents of the Gulbarg Society who were the victim of Gujarat riots, accused Setalvad of collecting donations in the name of riot victims but failing to use them for their benefit. After some counter complaint finally the Crime Branch filed an FIR against Setalvad. She was given anticipatory bail. On 12 February 2015, Gujrat High Court rejected her anticipatory bail. However in a rather unusual manner without petition by the pleadings of leading senior advocate Kapil Sibal she was given an interim protection by the Supreme Court. In 2015 a two-judge bench of the Court referred the issue involved in her case to a large three-judge bench.
A true activist is a well-meaning person to champion the cause of victims of the state. But in the guise of being an activist, there should be no ulterior motive in fabricating facts and truth. Teesta made a mockery of selfless activities. The two police officers, whom everyone suspected from the beginning to be dishonest about their depositions, are black blemishes on the dedicated service called IPS.
However, I would like to add in my write up that the remarks of the Supreme Court are not the proof of guilt. Cumbersome investigation will go on by Gujrat SIT against the three accused and then the matter we go to the court of law. It is only the verdict of the court which can hold these three people guilty in the chequered history of the most talked about riots of Gujarat.
