The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended its interim order protecting activist Teesta Setalvad from arrest in a forgery case linked to the 2002 Gujarat riots. It posted the case on July 19.
A Special Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai, A.S. Bopanna and Dipankar Datta issued notice to the Gujarat government in a petition filed by Ms. Setalvad against a State High Court judgment refusing to grant her regular bail in the case.
The Supreme Court had on Saturday, in a special hearing, granted her interim protection from arrest just hours after the High Court ordered her immediate surrender.
Appearing for Gujarat, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju said it had to translate documents and records germane to the case and would do this by July 19.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and advocate Aparna Bhat urged the court that the case centered on the right to personal liberty. Mr Sibal said the case needed to be heard and decided without delay.
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The Bench said sharing of documents and pleadings should be completed by July 15. It said the case would be heard in detail on July 19 at 2 pm.
On July 1, the apex court had protected Ms. Setalvad, highlighting that she was a woman and entitled to special benefits under Section 437 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Bench had noted that Ms. Setalvad was given interim bail by the Supreme Court in September last year. She had not violated any of the conditions of bail. The top court questioned the High Court’s haste in having her surrender immediately. In fact, the Bench had repeatedly expressed its objection at how Ms. Setalvad was not given even a week to challenge the High Court’s refusal order before the Supreme Court.
Ms. Setalvad is accused of forgery, fabrication of evidence, making false charges of offences with intent to injure, conspiracy in connection with the 2002 riots cases.
