Gujarat HC 'not inclined' to quash 2006 FIR against Teesta Setalvad

Ahmedabad : Gujarat High Court has conveyed a preliminary disinclination to quash the FIR filed against prominent activist Teesta Setalvad.

This FIR, originating from the Mahisagar district in 2006, pertains to the controversial Pandarwada mass grave digging incident.

Setalvad is accused of exhuming bodies of 2002 Gujarat riot victims, allegedly to create a media sensation.

This case has been a cornerstone in the Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch's 2022 FIR, where it's argued that Setalvad has a history of fabricating evidence related to the Gujarat riots.

The charges against Setalvad in the 2006 FIR include fabricating false evidence, causing the disappearance of evidence, criminal conspiracy, and committing deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.

During the proceedings on Monday, Justice Sandeep Bhatt while addressing Setalvad’s counsel questioned the need to revisit cases which he metaphorically referred to as "dead horses".

The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 9, where further deliberations are expected. Setalvad was arrested in June 2022 by Gujarat's Anti-Terrorism Squad following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of a plea by Zakia Jafri concerning the 2002 riots. She was subsequently granted bail in July 2023.