The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to rights activist Teesta Setalvad in connection with the FIR for allegedly fabricating evidence in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases. The activist was arrested on June 25 by Gujarat state police’s anti-terrorism wing.
The Gujarat high court has been asked to decide the final bail plea, but Setalvad will be released in the meantime, the top court said, adding that she be released by Saturday without insisting on local surety.
The order was passed by a bench of CJI Uday Umesh Lalit and Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia.
The SC further directed Setalvad to surrender her passport and cooperate with the investigation. The apex court clarified that the order has been made from the standpoint of considering her interim bail till her appeal seeking bail is pending before the high court and is not an expression on the merits of the case.
A day ago, the apex court wanted to know the reason for the delayed listing of Setalvad’s bail plea by the high court, wondering whether “this lady has been made an exception” and asking the state government to furnish information about any such precedent.
