Court rejects bail plea of Teesta, ex-DGP Sreekumar

Ahmedabad, July 30 (IANS) A court here on Saturday rejected the bail plea of activist Teesta Setalvad and former Gujarat DGP R.B. Sreekumar.

Both were arrested by the Ahmedabad crime branch following the Supreme Court order, which had pointed out that they had misused judicial process and action should be taken against them.

It has been alleged that both had filed false affidavits against the name of 2002 riots victims, created fake evidence to defame Gujarat, and intended to get the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi arrested and punished by the court.

Ahmedabad Principal Judge (City Civil and Sessions Court) D.D. Thakkar rejected the bail plea of both Setalvad and Sreekumar.

Rejecting the bail application, the court noted: "If the applicants -accused are enlarged on bail then it would impliedly encourage to the wrong doers that in-spite of such type of accusations against the then Chief Minister and others, the Court has enlarged the accused on bail. Therefore, looking at the above facts and circumstances, even though the applicant is a lady and another is a retired IPS officer and aged person, they are not required to be enlarged on bail."

The court further said: "... considering the rival contention of both the sides as well as affidavit and documents filed by both the sides, this court does not find it to be fit to exercise discretion in favour of the applicants - accused. There is no need to exercise discretion in favour of the applicants - accused ... I am of the view not to grant relief as prayed for."