As per the directive of Gujarat High Court, social activist Teesta Setalvad appeared before the Ahmedabad police on Tuesday in connection with the Gulbarg society fund embezzlement case. On Monday, Setalvad’s husband Javed Anand was also grilled by the investigation officers in the same case.
On December 5, the Bench of Justice AJ Desai directed Teesta and her husband to appear before the Crime Branch officers for interrogation. The court directed Setalvad to appear on December 16 and January 6, while her husband Javed was asked to appear on December 15 and January 5. Senior counsel Mahesh Jethamalani appeared on behalf of Crime Branch and argued the matter. He is appearing pro-bono for the State of Gujarat.
On the last hearing on December 5, senior counsel Mihir Thakore, appeared for Teesta Setalvad and her husband and sought time from the court on which Jethamalani objected and presented that accused are not co-operating with the investigation and requested the court to direct all the accused to appear before the investigation officer for interrogation, which the court agreed. Teesta and her husband are avoiding appearance before the police since January, 2014 when the FIR was filed against them by Firoz Khan, a resident of Gulbarg Society.
According to the Crime Branch, two NGOs of Teesta - Sabrang Trust and Citizen for Justice & Peace (CJP), during 2008 to 2012, have collected Rs9.50 crores from various donors for the construction of museum in the Gulbarga Society and in the name of helping the riot victims. However, more than 45% of the amount has been transferred by Teesta and her husband to their personal accounts and in the account of Sabrang Communication Pvt. ltd., a company owned by Teesta Setalvad and her husband. Further, they had withdrawn Rs1.09 crores as cash from the accounts of CJP and Sabrang Trust. According to the sources, when Teesta and her husband appeared before the Crime Branch on December 15 & 16, they did not co-operate with the investigation officer.