Supreme Court defers hearing on Teesta Setalvad’s bail plea to August 30

New Delhi, August 25

The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred to August 30 the hearing on a bail plea filed by activist Teesta Setalvad who has been arrested for allegedly fabricating evidence to frame “innocent people” in 2002 riots cases.

A three-judge Bench led by Justice UU Lalit, which had on Monday issued notice to the state of Gujarat on her plea, adjourned the hearing to Tuesday after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought time to make corrections in the state’s response.

On behalf of Setalvad, senior counsel Kapil Sibal said, “Every extra day’s incarceration is wrong”.

“We are also testing it, whether incarceration is required or not in this case,” the Bench said.

The Gujarat High Court had on August 3 issued a notice to the state government on the bail plea of Setalvad and fixed the plea for hearing on September 19.

Earlier, an Ahmedabad Sessions Court had on July 30 dismissed the bail pleas of Setalvad and former Director General of Police RB Sreekumar in the case, saying releasing them will send a message to wrongdoers that a person can level allegations with impunity and get away with it.

Setalvad and Sreekumar were both arrested in June for allegedly fabricating evidence to frame “innocent people” in the post-Godhra riots cases.