2002 Gujarat Riots | High Court 'Not Inclined' To Quash FIR Against Teesta Setalvad In Mass Grave Digging Case

The matter was listed before Justice Sandeep Bhatt who wondered “why are such dead horses required to be pulled?” Justice Bhatt further said, “After going through the record, I'm not inclined, prima facie, you have to satisfy (the court).”

In 2017, Setalvad had filed a petition in court following her inclusion in an FIR dating back to 2011, which was related to her alleged involvement in the digging graves and exhuming 28 bodies from a mass burial site near Pandarwada in Panchmahal district in December 2005. These bodies were victims of the post-Godhra violence.

In 2006, the Gujarat Police had filed a case against Teesta Setalvad under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 192, 193 for fabricating false evidence, 201 for causing the disappearance of evidence, 120B for criminal conspiracy, 295A for deliberate and malicious acts aimed at offending religious sentiments by insulting its religion or religious beliefs, 114 for abetment and 297 for trespassing on burial grounds.

Teesta's counsel Advocate Kalpesh N Shastri maintained that no offence was made out against her and that the case is politically motivated.

The hearing of the case has now been adjourned till January 9.

Case Title: TEESTA ATUL SETALVAD D/O LATE ATUL SETALVAD Versus STATE OF GUJARAT & 1