New Delhi: In a temporary relief for activist Teesta Setalvad, the Supreme Court granted her interim protection for seven days as it stayed Gujarat High Court’s order which asked her to “surrender immediately” in connection with a case pertaining to alleged fabrication of evidence to frame innocent people in 2002 post the Godhra riots.
Teesta had approached the apex court after the high court rejected her regular bail petition earlier on Saturday.
In a special late-night hearing at 9.15 pm, a three-judge bench of Justices BR Gavai, AS Bopanna and Dipankar Datta heard Teesta’s case after a 6.30 hearing by a two-judge bench failed to come to an agreement.
The three-judge bench was of the opinion that Teesta is entitled to ‘special protection’ as a woman under the law. The judges added that there is no reason for the high court to not grant time for her to appeal against its order.
Teesta had been granted interim bail by Supreme Court in September 2022 following which she was released from Gujarat’s Sabarmati jail. He plea for regular bail was turned down by Gujarat High Court yesterday.
