Ex-babus want SC to withdraw 'gratuitous observations', seek Setalvad's release

A group of noted former civil servants on Wednesday sought withdrawal of the Supreme Courts gratuitous observations against social activist Teesta Setalvad and others while upholding the SITs clean chit to the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 communal riots in the stateIn an open letter they also asked the apex court to issue a clarification to the effect that it was not their intention that Setalvad who was detained a day after the verdict and arrested the next day by the Gujarat police for alleged fabrication of evidence with regard to the riot cases should face arrest They urged the Supreme Court to order her unconditional releaseEvery day of silence lowers the prestige of the court and raises questions about its determination to uphold a core precept of the Constitution safeguarding the basic right to life and liberty against questionable actions of the state said the open statement signed by 92 former civil servantsAlso Read Mumbai Protest against arrest of activist Teesta SetalvadThe signatories include former Union Home Secretary G K Pillai former Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh exChief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah former Health Secretary K Sujatha Rao exIPS officer A S Dulat and former IAS officer Aruna Roy among othersThe recent threejudge bench verdict in the Zakia Ahsan Jafri Vs State of Gujarat decided on June 24 2022 has to say the least left citizens totally disturbed and dismayed the statement saidThey said it is not just the dismissal of the appeal that has surprised people but the gratuitous comments that the bench made about the appellants their counsel and supportersIn the most astonishing comment the Supreme Court has lauded the officials of the Special Investigation Team who have defended the State and has excoriated the appellants who have challenged the findings of the SIT the statement said citing para 88 of the judgementThe Supreme Court had on June 24 upheld the SITs clean chit to Modi and 63 others in the 2002 communal riots saying there is no tittle of material to show the violence after the Godhra train carnage was preplanned owing to the criminal conspiracy allegedly hatched at the highest level in the stateWe would urge the Supreme Court Justices to suo motu review their order and withdraw the observations contained in Para 88 We would also request them to adopt the course of action advocated by a distinguished former member of their fraternity Justice Madan Lokur said the statement issued by the former civil servantsHe Lokur has said that the court would do well to issue a clarification to the effect that it was not their intention that Teesta Setalvad should face arrest and at the same time order her unconditional release it addedAn Ahmedabad court had on July 2 remanded Setalvad in 14day judicial custodyThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever