Teesta Setalvad and her husband was summoned for questioning at the CBI office in Mumbai on Monday. Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty. 20.07.2015. Mumbai.

Gujarat High Court granting anticipatory bail to Teesta Setalvad is a huge victory: Citizens for Justice and Peace

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]N a huge victory, the Gujarat High Court has granted anticipatory bail to our Secretary, Teesta Setalvad, and her partner and CJP office bearer, Javed Anand, in connection with a baseless case of alleged misappropriation of funds obtained by her education programme KHOJ.

The complaint falsely states that funds were used for personal reasons, and to create and distribute printed materials that could cause communal disharmony, the polar opposite of the purpose and outcomes of KHOJ. Both activists have cooperated fully with investigations ever since the allegations were first made in March 2018, producing all necessary evidence to prove the falsity of the claim.

However, a vindictive state continued to push for custody in a bid to imprison and even possibly torture Teesta and Javed, in their relentless attempt to silence these fearless human rights defenders. After exposing the criminal activities of a section of the Gujarat Police and of powerful politicians during the 2002 anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat, CJP has been attacked time and time again.

But thanks to your support, we never allowed this hurdle to stop us from surging forth in our quest for justice. You’ve given us the strength to overcome the myriad pressure tactics employed by the state, so we can focus on the issues that matter.

With your continued generosity, we will continue to carry the Zakia Jafri case forward, fight to quash false cases against Adivasi human rights defenders, provide assistance in Assam in the midst of a citizenship crisis, fight hate and hate speech through various mechanisms, and continue to deliver human rights education through KHOJ.

You are an essential part of our fight, our history. Be a part of the future we’re shaping.

Citizens for Justice and Peace