SC extends interim protection to activist Teesta Setalvad, issues notice

New Delhi, July 5 The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended the interim protection to activist Teesta Setalvad in connection with a case relating to alleged fabrication of evidence in 2002 Gujarat riots.

Issuing notice, a bench of Justices B.R. Gavai, A.S. Bopanna, and Dipankar Datta posted Setalvad's bail plea for further hearing on July 19 at 2 p.m. after the state of Gujarat requested for an adjournment.

Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, who appeared with Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for Gujarat, submitted that some more time is needed to file additional documents and their translation before the court.

The top court was hearing appeal of the activist Setalvad against Gujarat High Court's order denying her regular bail and requiring her to "surrender immediately" in connection with an FIR lodged by the state police alleging fabrication of documents by her to implicate high government functionaries in 2002 Gujarat riots.

Earlier, in a late evening special sitting convened on Saturday (July 1 ), the apex court had granted her a week's protection from arrest by staying the Gujarat High Court order.

Setalvad, who has been on interim bail since September last year, was asked by the Gujarat High Court to "surrender immediately" after rejecting her bail plea earlier on Saturday.

Setalvad was arrested on June 25, 2022 by the Gujarat Police based on an FIR filed by the Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch (DCB). The charges against her include conspiring to falsely implicate innocent individuals in connection with the 2002 Gujarat riots. After seven days in police remand, she was sent to judicial custody on July 2.

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