'Setalvad suppressing facts in Gulbarg fund embezzlement case'

Prosecution probing the Gulbarg Society fund embezzlement case, today accused activist Teesta Setalvad of playing with courts by suppressing the "crucial facts" to get anticipatory bail.
"Setalwad, who filed a plea before the Supreme Court, has not given details of the pending anticipatory bail plea in the city sessions court and got protection till March 31," prosecution counsel Ajay Choksi, representing crime branch, told the sessions court here.
"If the apex court knew the details of the pending plea in the session court, it would have left it to the lower court," he said.
Choksi further alleged that Setalvad has been playing with the apex court by not disclosing some of the facts. "She has not even disclosed the facts regarding her two pending applications before the Bombay High Court," he said.

While accusing her of tampering with evidence, he argued, "The five prime witnesses of the case have been given same cyclostyled testimony before the prosecution."
"She has been tampering with the evidence and suppressing the facts," Choksi told the court further.

The argument will continue on Wednesday before the City Sessions Court Judge H C Vora.
On January 5, an FIR was lodged under Section 120 (B), 406 and 420 of the IPC and Section 72 (A) of the IT Act against Setalvad, her husband Javed Anand, Zakia Jafri's son Tanvir Jafri and two others for allegedly usurping Rs 1.51 crore.

"The funds collected from 2007-12 by Setalvad from abroad under the promise that Gulbarg Society would be converted into a museum," said the FIR.
"However, the funds are lying as Fixed Deposits (FDs) with Setalvad," said the FIR lodged before City Crime branch office.
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 Jafri were killed by a mob at Gulbarg Society here during the riots.