Ahmedabad: A local court on Wednesday reserved till July 23 its order on the defamation suit filed against activist Teesta Setalvad by her former associate.
Rais Khan, who had worked with Setalvad in her NGO Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), had filed on June 20 an application in the court of judicial magistrate, demanding legal actions against her for publishing and propagating derogatory remarks about him.
He appeared today before the Metropolitan magistrate T S Brahmabhatt, who, after recording his statement for the verification of his complaint, decided to pronounce his order next Monday.
"She has published defamatory and derogatory remarks and allegations against me in (NGO) Citizens for Justice and Peace`s magazine, on its website and even in her petition, which, she had filed in the Supreme Court," Khan submitted to the court while giving his statement.
In the complaint filed under sections 499, 500 and 501 of IPC, he has claimed that Setalvad has accused him of discrediting and harassing witnesses of different rioting cases, of deviant behaviour, having close ties with VHP and even having its patronage.
Citing the contents of Communalism Combat magazine, CJP`s website and copy of SLP, filed by Teesta in the Supreme Court, he has prayed to initiate appropriate process and to charge, try, adjudicate and punish the accused in accordance with law.
After the 2002 Gujarat riots, CJP got involved in helping the riot victims and providing them support in their legal battle. Khan worked as a field co-coordinator for CJP till 2008, when he was kicked out of the NGO.
Khan has also dragged Setalvad to court in a series of applications filed in the special courts trying Naroda Patiya, Gulbarg and Sardarpura rioting cases, alleging that she had filed false affidavits on behalf of the witness of 2002 riot cases.
PTI
