Teesta arrest: Advocates urge apex court to intervene

NT Correspondent
Bengaluru

The city advocates on Monday organised a protest against the recent arrest of Mumbai-based social activist Teesta Setalvad and retired Gujarat DGP R.B. Sreekumar, at the civil court premises here. They demanded a suo motu action by the Supreme Court against these “unlawful arrests.” They also called for the release of former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who was arrested in another case in 2018.

Both the arrests happened on Saturday, while Teesta was picked up by the Gujarat police from Mumbai, Sreekumar was arrested from his home in Gandhinagar.

Dr C.S. Dwarakanath, former chief of the Backward Classes Commission of Karnataka and a High Court lawyer said, “A day after the Supreme Court upheld the clean chit given by the SIT to Narendra Modi in the 2002 Gujarat riots, Teesta was arrested on imaginary claims and without the directions of the court. Even if the arrest was necessary, the procedure followed must have been confirmed legally.” He added that this arrest will diminish ordinary citizen’s faith in the judiciary.

The First Information Report filed by the Ahmedabad crime branch has accused Teesta, Sreekumar and Bhatt for conspiring to falsely implicate innocent persons.

B.T. Venkatesh, former state public prosecutor, recalled that Teesta had made many visits to Bengaluru to be a part of human rights causes here. “She has put out all her concerns through legal and constitutional structures that are available for citizens. The Best Bakery case was born out of her efforts,” he said.

Commenting on the arrest, Mohammed Tahir, an advocate, said, “This is only a message to threaten the dissenters and silence voices that want to speak out.”

“She has taken the steps to provide justice to the victims of the brutal violence of the 2002 riots. Many were killed, raped and burned alive. The arrest is against the ideals of the Constitution and justice,” said S. Balan, a senior advocate.

“What is happening with Teesta is shocking, but at the same time not surprising. It is 20 years of vendetta that is being unleashed upon her. What is more worrying is that this is becoming an increasing trend, where human rights defenders are being targeted,” said Poorna R, activist and advocate from Alternative Law Forum. She urged the citizens who want to safeguard the plurality of the country to oppose this.