Author: TNN
Publication: The Times of India
Date: December 1, 2011
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Teesta-doctored-evidence-Ex-aide-to-SC/articleshow/10936983.cms
Social activist Teesta Setalvad's former aide
Rais Khan Pathan has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court alleging manipulation
of evidence, which were in the form of statements of witnesses, by her in
five sensitive post-Godhra riot cases.
Rais Khan had filed an affidavit before the
trial court in Naroda Gam case making similar allegations and the Gujarat
High Court had directed registration of a complaint case on that basis. However,
the Supreme Court in July stayed proceedings against Setalvad and issued notice
to her ex-aide, who opened a front against her after she disassociated him
from her organization Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP).
Rais Khan, in an affidavit filed in response
to the apex court notice, narrated his long association with Setalvad and
CJP and said though he was getting salary from CJP, he was given an identity
card of a press reporter purportedly working for the magazine 'Communal Combat'
edited and published by her.
Alleging that he was employed to convince
witnesses to give statements in riot cases, Rais Khan said, "On the basis
of hundreds of such false and fabricated affidavits prepared by CJP, the Supreme
Court considered to transfer riot cases outside Gujarat."
The Supreme Court had transferred the trials
in two riot-related cases - Best Bakery and Bilkis Bano rape - outside Gujarat
to Mumbai on the allegation that fair trial was not possible in a surcharged
atmosphere where witnesses faced threats from the influential accused persons.
Rais Khan went on to give certain details
to allege "wrongdoings by Setalvad" in alleged collusion with advocate
Sohel Tirmiji in five sensitive riot cases - Naroda Gam, Sardarpura, Gulbarg
Society, Best Bakery and Pandarwada.
These were among the nine sensitive cases
which were probed by a Special Investigation Team headed by former CBI director
R K Raghvan under monitoring of the apex court.
Rais Khan said he was sacked by Setalvad
in January 2008 but he started receiving threats from persons close to her
only after he wrote to the SIT and Ahmedabad police commissioner in September
2010 intending to clarify his position after some witnesses blamed him for
fabricating their affidavits.
"Even R B Sreekumar, former additional
DGP who works with Setalvad and CJP, spoke to me on November 4, 2010 at length
and offered to help in compromising with Setalvad," he claimed.
Quoting a portion of the conversation which
he had recorded and submitted to the apex court, Rais Khan said Sreekumar
told him: "I am not a member of CJP, I request you whatever you do, it
should not benefit stupid VHP. All our efforts will go waste. If I can be
of any help, please tell me. From your statement, value of evidence will be
reduced and (Narendra) Modi will take benefit of it."
