Mumbai: A CBI Special Court here on Friday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand, paving the way for her immediate arrest.

Soon after, her lawyers moved the Bombay High Court for relief.

Setalvad, Anand and some others have been charged by the Central Bureau of Investigation with fraud and irregularities under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act on foreign donations received by the activist's Sabrang NGO.

On July 8, the CBI had registered a case against them for accepting foreign donations from the Ford Foundation without seeking prior permission of the concerned authorities.

Last week, the CBI followed this up with raids at Setalvad's residence and offices in Mumbai for allegedly diverting funds from the foreign donors to her organization.

(IANS)