As per the directive of the Gujarat High Court, social activist Teesta Setalvad, who is facing the charge of embezzlement of funds in the Gulbarg society case, will have to appear before the Ahmedabad police on Monday or Tuesday.
Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand were directed by the court to appear before the Ahmedabad police every 15 days and co-operate with the cops in the interrogation process. On December 5, 2014, the Bench of Justice AJ Desai, hearing the anticipatory bail application of Teesta and her husband Javed, ordered Teesta to appear before the Investigation Officer on December 15 and January 5 and to Javed on December 16 and January 6 for interrogation.
Highly placed sources in Teesta’s circle informed that she met former Union Minister for law and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal to explore possibilities to challenge the High Court order. However, it is learnt that Sibal, after looking to the replies filed by the Crime Branch in the High Court, advised her to follow the High Court order.
On December 5, senior counsel Mahesh Jethamalani appeared on behalf of Ahmedabad Crime Branch and argued the matter. He has decided not to charge any fee from the State Government. During the last hearing, senior counsel Mihir Thakore, appeared for 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 in the Gulbarg society embezzlement case to appear before the investigation officer for interrogation, to 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. Khan filed complaint against three other also.
According to the Crime Branch, two NGOs of Teesta Setalvad — Sabrang Trust and Citizen for Justice & Peace (CJP), during 2008 to 2012, have collected `9.50 crore from various donors towards construction of museum in Gulbarg Society, which was set on fire during the 2002 riots in Gujarat. Another motto of collecting the fund was to help riot victims. Despite the fact, Teesta and Javed, who are trustees in the said NGOs had allegedly transferred 45 per cent fund to their personal accounts as well as their privately owned company Sabrang Communication Pvt. ltd. They have withdrawn `1.09 crore from the accounts of CJP and Sabrang. According to the sources, the Crime Branch has directed Teesta and her husband Javed to bring various documents which they have not shared with the police despite several reminders.