2002 riots: Teesta Setalvad conspired with a senior leader of a political party, Gujarat govt tells SC

The first information report filed against activist Teesta Setalvad is not based merely on the Supreme Court's judgment in the Zakia Jafri case but is backed by evidence, the Gujarat government has told the Supreme Court, Bar and Bench reported on Monday.

The Gujarat government, in an affidavit before the Supreme Court, has claimed that the investigation carried out till now by the state police's Anti-Terrorism Squad has revealed a prima facie case against Setalvad for fabricating evidence about the riots.

"Investigation conducted so far has brought irrefutable material on record to substantiate the contents of the FIR that the applicant along with other accused persons had done various criminal acts of commission and commission to achieve political, financial and other material benefits by means of executing the conspiracy," the government told the Supreme Court.

The Gujarat government also cited statements by witnesses and said that Setalvad and other accused persons took part in a conspiracy to fabricate evidence at the behest of "a senior leader of a political party". The activist held meetings with the leader and received a large amount of money, the government alleged.

"It is submitted that it has come on record by way of the statement of a witness that such money was not part of any relief-related corpus," the affidavit stated.

The response was filed on the petition of Setalvad seeking interim bail in a case in which she was arrested for allegedly fabricating documents to frame innocent people in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases.

The Supreme Court is slated to hear the case on Tuesday.