New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to the activist Teesta Setalvad, was arrested in June for allegedly fabricating evidence to implicate “innocent people” in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases. He has been asked to surrender his passport.
While granting relief to Setalvad, the top court said, “The appellant is in custody for more than two months and at this stage is certainly entitled to the relief of interim bail pending consideration of his original application.”
The matter came up for hearing on Thursday as well, when CJI UU Lalit orally observed that while the offenses against Setalvad are ordinary IPC offences, there is no bar on granting bail.
CJI Lalit said, “These are not crimes like murder or bodily injury, but are based on documents like forgery etc. The general view in these cases is that there is nothing to insist on police custody after normal police custody is over.” Is.”
The court had also expressed surprise over the delay in listing Setalvad’s bail plea by the Gujarat High Court, that on August 3, issued notice to the state government on the plea and posted the matter for September 19.
“Give us examples where in such cases a woman accused has got such dates from the High Court. Either this woman is made an exception. How can the court give this date? Is this the standard practice in Gujarat?” An apparently unhappy CJI had said.
Teesta Setalvad was arrested for allegedly fabricating evidence to implicate “innocent people” in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases.
Responding to the bail plea, the Gujarat government said that the activist along with other accused had hatched a conspiracy at the behest of a senior political leader.
A sessions court in Ahmedabad had on July 30 rejected Setalvad’s bail application.
The Supreme Court had on August 22 sought response from the Gujarat government on the bail plea of Setalvad, who was arrested in the case in June.
While granting relief to Setalvad, the top court said, “The appellant is in custody for more than two months and at this stage is certainly entitled to the relief of interim bail pending consideration of his original application.”
The matter came up for hearing on Thursday as well, when CJI UU Lalit orally observed that while the offenses against Setalvad are ordinary IPC offences, there is no bar on granting bail.
CJI Lalit said, “These are not crimes like murder or bodily injury, but are based on documents like forgery etc. The general view in these cases is that there is nothing to insist on police custody after normal police custody is over.” Is.”
The court had also expressed surprise over the delay in listing Setalvad’s bail plea by the Gujarat High Court, that on August 3, issued notice to the state government on the plea and posted the matter for September 19.
“Give us examples where in such cases a woman accused has got such dates from the High Court. Either this woman is made an exception. How can the court give this date? Is this the standard practice in Gujarat?” An apparently unhappy CJI had said.
Teesta Setalvad was arrested for allegedly fabricating evidence to implicate “innocent people” in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases.
Responding to the bail plea, the Gujarat government said that the activist along with other accused had hatched a conspiracy at the behest of a senior political leader.
A sessions court in Ahmedabad had on July 30 rejected Setalvad’s bail application.
The Supreme Court had on August 22 sought response from the Gujarat government on the bail plea of Setalvad, who was arrested in the case in June.