New Delhi: Giving relief to famous danseuse Mallika Sarabhai, the Supreme Court today (Apr 29, 2004) said that the Gujarat police could continue its investigation into the alleged human trafficking charge against her but the trial court would not take action on the basis of any report submitted by them.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice V N Khare, Justice S B Sinha and Justice S H Kapadia also issued notice to the Gujarat Government on the special leave petition filed by her challenging a High Court order refusing to quash the FIR lodged against her in the case.

She alleged that the State Government was victimising her by filing a false case as she had been raising her voice against the riots that took place following the burning of the train at Godhra.

Narrating the sequence of events leading to the filing of the "false" case against her, Sarabhai stated that pursuant to invitations from abroad, her institute "Darpana Academy" had selected 13 persons for the tour at a cost of Rs 3.3 lakhs each of which Rs 20,000 was a non-refundable training fees.

However, when the tour got cancelled, the Academy refunded Rs 3.1 lakh to each of the participants including the complainant, Manushi Shah. Shah later filed a complaint before the police alleging that the academy was resorting to illegalities.

Alleging that the complainant got frustrated and lodged the complaint as she intended to marry a resident of America, Sarabhai said the High Court erred in not quashing the case as it was totally based on false facts.