Teesta Setalvad, her husband get anticipatory bail for alleged fraud

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court today granted anticipatory bail to social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand on a complaint lodged against them in Ahmedabad for alleged misappropriation of funds worth Rs 1.51 crore.

Justice Mridula Bhatkar today granted Teesta and Anand interim relief from arrest for three weeks.

One of the riot victims from Gulbarg Housing Society, which was burnt during the 2002 Godhra riots, had lodged a complaint with Ahmedabad police against Teesta, Anand and the NGOs run by them - Citizens for Justice and Peace and Sabrang Trust.

According to the complaint, the accused had allegedly collected funds in the name of converting part of the housing society into a museum and had allegedly misappropriated funds.

Teesta and Anand's advocate Arshad Shaukh said that even though the case was registered in Ahmedabad they could get anticipatory bail from Bombay high court as there are judgments of the Supreme Court which say that a person can get relief from the high court in the state where they reside for a case registered in another state.

According to Teesta and Anand, they have been implicated in the case and are victims of political vendetta. They claim that they are being targeted by the perpetrators of the riots.

In 2006, the social activists decided to build a museum - Museum of Resistance - in the remains of the Gulbarg society. Accordingly in 2009, a part of the plot was sold to Sabrang Trust.

However, in 2012, the idea of museum was dropped as the prices escalated. The same was communicated to the society.

However, according to the complaint filed against Teesta, funds were collected by her despite the idea being dropped.