New Delhi: The Supreme Court granted interim bail to Teesta Setalvad on Friday in connection with the FIR for allegedly fabricating evidence in the 2002 Gujarat riots case.
Gujarat police’s anti-terrorism wing had arrested the activist on June 25.
The order, passed by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Uday Umesh Lalit and Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia, said the Gujarat High Court has been asked to decide the final bail plea, but Setalvad will be released by Saturday without insisting on local surety.
The top court directed Setalvad to surrender her passport and cooperate with the investigation.
The order is not an expression on the merits of the case, but has been made considering her interim bail till her appeal seeking bail is pending before the high court, the bench clarified.
Also Read: Teesta Setalvad Plotted To Topple BJP Govt Post 2002 Riots: SIT To Court
The Solicitor General (SG) argued before the bench that despite being interrogated for seven days, Setlavad did not cooperate in the interrogation.
In response, the CJI enquired ‘how long she was interrogated and when she tried to solicit affidavit, documents etc’?
The SG submitted that Setalvad has been maligning the administration for a while now which needs to stop. Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Setalvad, refuted the allegations levelled against her.
On Thursday, a Supreme Court bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia had raised concerns about Setalvad being kept in custody for more than two months with no chargesheet filed against her, and wondered whether “this lady has been made an exception”.
