UN body’s Teesta remark is interference in judicial system

Protestors demand the release of activist Teesta Setalvad after she was arrested from her home by the anti-terrorism wing of the Gujarat police, on a street in Mumbai (Reuters)

NEW DELHI: The government slammed the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for commenting on the arrest of activist Teesta Setalvadsaying the comments constituted interference in India’s independent judicial system.
Authorities in India act against violations of law strictly in accordance with established judicial processes, said the MEA in a statement.
“We have seen a comment by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) regarding legal action against Teesta and two other people. The remarks by OHCHR are completely unwarranted and constitute an interference in India’s independent judicial system,” said spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. “Labeling such legal actions as persecution for activism is misleading and unacceptable,” he added.
OHCHR had voiced concern over the arrest of Setalvad and called for his immediate release. “#India: We are very concerned by the arrest and detention of #WHRD @TeestaSetalvad and two ex-police officers and call for their immediate release. They must not be persecuted for their activism and solidarity with the victims of the 2002 #GujaratRiots, ” the UN Human Rights office tweeted on Tuesday. The MEA said its statement was in response to media queries on a comment by OHCHR regarding legal action against Teesta Setalvad and two other people.
A court in Ahmedabad on Sunday remanded Setalvad and former state director general of police RB Sreekumar in police custody till July 2 in a case of alleged fabrication of evidence related to the Gujarat riots,
Guj police search Teesta’s Mumbai home
A Gujarat police team on Wednesday carried out a search at activist Teesta Setalvad’s home in Santacruz in Mumbai following her arrest last Saturday. A Santacruz police officer confirmed the Gujarat police team carried out the search from 11am till 1:30pm. “The team didn’t inform us what they were looking for, but were provided help in the search. They did not get anything during the search,” said the officer.
Setalvad was arrested a day after the Supreme Court ruled out a larger conspiracy behind the 2002 Gujarat riots.