New Delhi: The Supreme Court extended activist Teesta Setalvad’s interim protection from arrest on Wednesday in connection with the alleged falsification of evidence during the riots in Gujarat in 2002. The court further announced that the next hearing on the matter would take place on July 19.
A three-judge bench comprising Justices BR Gavai, AS Bopanna, and Dipankar Datta has issued a notice to the Gujarat government. The court further ordered both parties to file documents by July 15.
After the Gujarat High Court on Saturday rejected Setalvad’s normal bail request and ordered her to immediately surrender, Setalvad turned to the Supreme Court.
The apex court, in a special sitting of a three-judge bench, granted interim protection from arrest to Setalvad on July 1. The bench further questioned why Setalvad was not given sufficient time to challenge the high court order.
The Supreme Court bench, while granting interim protection to Setalvad, reacted to the Gujarat high court order saying, “was totally wrong in not granting interim protection even for one week.”