Teesta Setalvad in Ahmedabad on 22 March 2010. (SAM PANTHAKY/AFP/Getty Images)In a major setback for controversial activist Teesta Setalvad, who is facing arrest in a case of fund embezzlement, a special sessions court In Ahmadabad rejected her anticipatory bail plea on Wednesday, The Indian Express has reported.
Special judge P J Tamakyvala upheld the arguments of the of the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB), Ahmedabad, which is probing the case.
In April, Setalvad was booked for fraudulently obtaining Rs 1.4 crore for her trust from the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) between 2010 and 2013. Setalvad’s former associate Raees Khan Pathan has filed a complaint against her and other trustees of the Sabrang Trust claiming that the HRD Ministry illegally sanctioned the funds to her under the 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan'.
Between 2009 and 2012, the HRD Ministry was headed by Kapil Sibal.
According to the complainant, Setalvad's trust distributed education material that could cause communal disharmony. Pathan said that Setalvad and Sabrang Trust tried to “mix religion with politics” to spread disharmony.
The DBC has told the court that Setalvad and husband Javed Anand, who run the Sabrang Trust, had transferred the fund to their personal account. It has also accused the two of tempering evidence against them.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.