“Lift the stay on probe against Teesta in fabricated evidence case”

New Delhi, 6 March 2013

Former aide of controversial NGO operator Teesta Setalvad yesterday moved the Supreme Court seeking lifting of the stay on the investigation into a case of alleged fabrication of evidences in a 2002 post-Godhra riot incident. Rais Khan Pathan has sought vacation of apex court’s September 2, 2011 order by which probe against him and Setalvad was stayed for allegedly fabricating evidence in the Naroda Gam case.

Teesta had challenged the July 11, 2011 decision of the Gujarat High Court giving green signal for probe against them in the Supreme Court. The High Court order was stayed by an apex court bench headed by Justice Aftab Alam.

Rais Khan Pathan in his application said that if the probe was not allowed to progress, there was possibility of destruction of evidence related to the case. Undue influence, inducement and threat to witnesses cannot be ruled out, he said. In the application, he claimed that he has come forward to tell the truth and has voluntarily decided to join the investigation to unearth the larger conspiracy and hidden truth behind the present case.