Last month, following the notice from the High Court SIT had filed a reply to Malivad's petition in the form of an affidavit and said that the exercise undertaken by them in connection with the Supreme Court's order on Zakia Jaffery's complaint was a "preliminary inquiry" as per law.
The affidavit filed by SIT Convenor Geetha Johri stated that the probe by the agency was as per Supreme Court orders and was permissible, even though there was no FIR lodged in the matter, or court orders, under provisions of Section 173(8) or 202 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).