Gulbarg embezzlement case: Teesta Setalvad, husband move Gujarat High Court for bail

Social activist Teesta Setalvad, her husband Javed Anand and son of slain Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, Tanvir today approached the Gujarat High Court seeking anticipatory bail in alleged Gulbarg Society fund embezzlement case.

The move came after the Ahmedabad city and sessions court denied the same relief to Setalvad, Anand, Jafri and two residents of Gulbarg society on March 25 observing there are prima facie documentary evidence against the accused, which needs a thorough probe. "The anticipatory bail plea of Setalvad, Javed Anand, Tanvir Jafri, Salim Sandhi and Feroz Gulzar was filed today and it will come on board tomorrow," Setalwad's advocate S M Vora told PTI. 

Setalvad and Anand have also sought quashing of an FIR registered against them before the Bombay high court on which the order was kept reserved on March 26. 

Setalvad, Anand, Tanvir Jafri, Gulbarg Society's secretary Feroz Gulzar and chairman Salim Sandhi had filed application for anticipatory bail before the sessions court on February 21. The city crime branch had registered an FIR against Setalvad and others for allegedly usurping Rs 1.51 crore collected by them for turning Gulbarg Society into a mausoleum.

Twelve residents of Gulbarg society had demanded Rs 1.51 crore from Setalvad last year alleging that money collected in their name was never distributed.

On 28 February, 2002, following the Godhra train carnage, 68 people including former MP Ehsan Zafri were killed by a mob at Gulbarg Society here during the riots.