SC grants interim bail to Teesta Setalvad

Story by  ATV | Posted by  Nakul Shivani • 1 Years ago
Teesta Setalvad
Teesta Setalvad

 

New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to activist Teesta Setalvad, who was arrested for allegedly fabricating documents to frame high-ranking officials, including then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, in the 2002 riots cases in the state.

A three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice UU Lalit said that since the essential custodial interrogation is complete, the matter of interim bail should have been heard, and noted that her bail plea is still pending before the Gujarat High Court.

"We grant Teesta Setalvad interim bail," the bench said.

The top court asked the high court to decide her bail plea, but in the meantime Setalvad will be out on interim bail.

She had moved the apex court after the Gujarat High Court made a long adjournment on her bail plea while not passing any order of interim bail.

The Supreme Court also directed Setalvad to surrender her passport in the trial court and made it clear that the high court will decide her regular bail plea without being influenced by its order.

The top court noted that she has been in custody since June 25 and the investigating machinery had the advantage of her custodial interrogation of seven days followed by judicial custody.

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On Thursday, the Supreme Court had expressed concern that the Gujarat High Court, on the bail plea of Setalvad, issued notice returnable by six weeks and asked the Gujarat government to bring on record the details of the cases where in a matter involving a lady, the high court gave such a long adjournment.