Former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B Lokur has expressed surprise over the arrest of social activist Teesta Setalvad. Let us inform that on June 25, Gujarat ATS arrested Setalvad, retired DGP RB Sreekumar, former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt. The arrest was made after the Supreme Court’s scathing remarks in a case related to the 2002 Gujarat riots.
On this arrest, former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B Lokur expressed surprise and said, “If I am not mistaken, the court had neither any suggestion nor intention to arrest. In this regard, may I appeal to the learned Judges to issue a clarification forthwith.
Justice Lokur wrote in news portal The Wire that the judges of the Supreme Court should also direct Teesta’s unconditional release with immediate effect and revoke his arrest and continued detention.
What was the Supreme Court’s comment: Let us tell you that Gujarat ATS arrested Teesta Setalvad, retired DGP RB Sreekumar, former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt after a Supreme Court comment. In fact, on June 24, in the Gulberg Society massacre case during the Gujarat riots, a Supreme Court bench had said that all those involved in abusing the legal process should stand in the dock and action should be taken as per law.
In the case registered against Setalvad and others, the Gujarat Police had also cited certain observations of the court. To which former Justice Lokur has said that if the judges remain silent, then the conclusion is clear. Former judge wonders why Gujarat ATS arrested Setalvad? There is no terrorism-related charge against him.
SIT report correct: Significantly, one Zakia Jafri had filed a petition against the SIT report in the Supreme Court regarding the 2002 Gujarat riots. In this petition, a clean chit was given to 55 politicians including the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi. On June 24, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition against the report filed by Zakia Jafri and upheld the SIT report.