Supreme Court slams Teesta Javed

Abraham Thomas report from Pioneer

The Supreme Court on Thursday took a serious view of social activist Teesta Setalvad approaching international forum to raise the Gujarat riots cases and took an undertaking from her that she will not repeat it in future..

Referring to two letters she wrote to the Geneva-based Office of High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) in October last year, the special bench hearing the Godhra riots cases termed such an attempt as amounting to “interference with justice” and warned her against engaging in such activities again.

The bench of Justices DK Jain, P Sathasivam and Aftab Alam said, “We can’t allow ourselves to be guided by any other agency. If day-to-day proceedings in this court are to be reported to that (international) organisation, it amounts to direct interference.”

Sensing the anger of the court, Teesta’s advocate Kamini Jaiswal volunteered to stop any such further communication and said, “If the court takes it that way I will not send anything in future.”

Recording her undertaking, the bench said, “(for) All those cases monitored by us, we don’t want any communication in future with OHCHR.”

The letters addressed to Special Investigation Team (SIT) Chairman RK Raghavan were forwarded to the international human rights body where Teesta complained about the poor witness protection in the Godhra cases. The letter also contained allegation that her former aide Rais Khan, who accused her of filing false affidavits in riot cases, was bought over by the other side. The Bench agreed to grant an opportunity to Teesta to explain her stand.

Going through the response filed by Teesta, where she stated that she “intimated” the proceedings to the international forum and meant nothing more, the Bench was curious to know the purpose behind the move. “This is not a plain and simple letter. It does say so many things about what is happening in courts which has no concern with the said organisation,” said the Bench.

Makinga pointed query to Teesta, the court asked, “Will they be keeping track of investigation when we are monitoring,” and said, “We don’t appreciate such letters sent to foreign country.”

On protection of witnesses, which found mention in the October 5 and October 7, 2010 letters written by Teesta, the Bench said, “It seems you (Teesta) have more confidence in them than us,” requiring to know “will they provide protection to witnesses, can they provide assistance to us.”

When Jaiswal clarified that the organisation was merely connected to the NGO Citizens for Justice and Peace run by Teetsa, the Bench remarked, “Tomorrow even our proceedings will be sent to them.” With even the lapses on part of the police and investigating agencies being reported in the letter, the bench sought to know, “Are they (organisation) their disciplinary authority”.

The letters written by Teesta were first brought to the notice of the court by senior advocate Harish Salve, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae. The strictures came pursuant to the court’s direction last month after it feared such letters created a “bad reflection” on the judiciary as a whole.