Rajkot, 30/7: A city sessions court on Saturday rejected the regular bail applications of Mumbai activist Teesta Setalvad and ex-DGP R B Sreekumar who are lodged at Sabarmati Central Jail in connection with an FIR for allegedly fabricating evidence and tutoring witnesses to seek a conviction in 2002 post-Godhra riot cases.
Rejecting their pleas, additional principal judge, D D Thakkar, stated in his order, before using his discretionary power of bail, the court was required to consider the gravity, nature and the accusations levelled against the accused.
Thakkar, who is scheduled to retire today, has noted in the order, “In case on hand, the applicants-accused have in conspiracy with others with a view to defame the then C M (Narendra Modi, now the prime minister) and others made accusations against Government that post-Godhra riots were sponsored by the Government and thereby defamed the State not only in the country but in the world also and with ulterior motive thereby obtained personal goal and monetary benefit from one political faction as well as other countries and this case has been registered pursuant to the final decision of the complaint given by Zakia Jafri of dated 08/06/2006 and Zakia Jafri was guided by both these applicants-accused and others.”
The order further adds that if the accused are enlarged on bail, it will encourage the wrongdoers that despite “such type of accusations against the then CM and others,” the bail was granted. “Therefore, looking to the above facts and circumstance, even though the applicant is being a lady (Setalvad) and another is retired IPS officer (Sreekumar) and aged person, they are not required to be enlarged on bail (sic),” the order noted.