Teesta accuses SC-appointed SIT of discrediting her

Social activist Teesta Setalvad, who is working for the victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots, has moved the Supreme Court accusing the Special Investigating Team (SIT) of "discrediting" her.

Social activist Teesta Setalvad, who is working for the victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots, has moved the Supreme Court accusing the Special Investigating Team (SIT) of "discrediting" her.

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The affidavit filed by Setalvad, who heads the NGO, Citizen for Peace and Justice, alleged that the SIT headed by former CBI Director R K Raghavan has been summoning and questioning witnesses on the allegation that they were tutored by her.

"To my shock, I have discovered that the SIT instead of conducting investigations as per the directions of this court has chosen to summon certain victim-witnesses to record their statements to verify if I have indeed tutored them," she alleged.

Setalvad said she was "suspicious" about the SIT's intentions about the line of their current investigation and strongly believe that SIT was trying to get information against her as she has filed an application asking for probe panel's reconstitution.

"The SIT in its effort to discredit me should not harass the witnesses who are victims of violence that has led to loss of their loved ones," the affidavit said.

She said allegations against her of tutoring the witnesses were made by the NGO's disgruntled employee whose services were terminated after the witnesses complained that he had become close to the accused and and was misbehaving with them.

Setalvad has not mentioned the name of the disgruntled employee, who she claimed was terminated two years ago.

She said that an application has been filed by her seeking revocation of CISF protection given to him on apex court order.

Former coordinator of Setalvad's NGO, Rais Khan on November 1 had alleged before a court in Ahmedabad that victims and witnesses of 2002 Naroda gam riot case, were tutored, cheated and made to sign false affidavits by her.

He had claimed that he can throw light on this.

Khan has sought permission to be examined as a witness to clear allegations levelled against him by some of the witnesses and victims who had said he (Khan) had manipulated their affidavits filed in the Supreme Court.

The trial court in Ahmedabad will hear his application on November 22.

After the riots, Khan had worked as a co-ordinator with CJP, headed by Setalvad, from February 28, 2002 to January 18, 2008.