Granting a big relief to social activist Teesta Setalwad, her husband Javed Anand and slain Congress MP Ehsan Jafri's son Tanvir Jafri, the Gujarat High Court stayed their arrest here today, until June 19, in connection with the Gulbarg Society fund embezzlement case.
The high court extended the stay after the Additional Advocate General of Gujarat sought time to file a reply and assured that Teesta and others would not be arrested until further orders.
After the representation, Justice Anant S Dave of the Gujarat high court asked the Gujarat state about the reason for seeking time once again in a case of anticipatory bail.
The government advocate said that time is needed to study documents of the case, after which the Court gave time till June 19 and also extended the stay on arrest of all the five, including Setalwad.
Earlier on April 4, the Gujarat government had sought time to file its reply in connection with the Gulbarg Society fund embezzlement case.
While acting on the anticipatory bail plea of Setalwad, Anand, Jafri, Gulbarg Society's secretary Feroz Gulzar and its chairman Salim Sandhi, the high court had granted time until April 23 to file their reply.
The five people had sought a pre-arrest bail from the high court after the city sessions court here, rejected their bail plea on March 25.
The sessions court judge had observed that there is prima facie documentary evidence against the accused, which needed a thorough probe.
The city crime branch had registered an FIR against Setalvad and others for allegedly usurping Rs 1.51 crore collected by them as donations, for turning Gulbarg Society into a mausoleum.
However, 12 Gulbarg society residents had demanded Rs 1.51 crore from Setalvad last year alleging that money collected in their name was never distributed.
On 28 February, 2002, after the Godhra train carnage, 68 people including former MP Ehsan Zafri were killed by a mob at Gulbarg Society here during the riots.
Image: Social activist Teesta Setalwad
