AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to retired state Director-General of Police RB Sreekumar until November 15, in a case of alleged forgery and fabrication of evidence linked to the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Mumbai–based activist Teesta Setalvad and former IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt are the co-accused in the case. Sreekumar’s advocate, Yogesh Ravani, said, “The state filed its charge sheet on September 20, while we had moved for bail before the Gujarat HC on the ground of health and age. The court asked us to file a bail application before the sessions court in light of the changed circumstances that have stemmed from the filing of the charge sheet. As per instructions from the high court, we will move the sessions court with a fresh bail application with interim protection from the high court.”
The Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) had registered an FIR accusing Sreekumar, Setalvad and Bhatt of fabricating evidence to destabilise the state government. Sreekumar was arrested on June 25. The special investigation team (SIT) probing the case filed a 6,300-page charge sheet on September 20, citing 90 witnesses to substantiate the charges of fabrication of evidence to frame 63 persons, including the then chief minister Narendra Modi.
According to the SIT, Sreekumar misused his position as a government official, making back-dated entries in a register, and filing affidavits with incorrect information before the Godhra riots inquiry commission. The probe report claims that Setalvad sponsored Sreekumar’s service litigations by providing him with lawyers. An Ahmedabad sessions court refused bail to Sreekumar and Setalvad on July 30. While Setalvad subsequently moved the Gujarat High Court and then the Supreme Court seeking bail and the latter granted her interim bail on September 2, Sreekumar remained behind bars.