Gujarat HC Rejects Regular Bail Plea of Teesta Setalvad

The Gujarat High Court on Saturday directed Mumbai-based activist Teesta Setalvad to “surrender forthwith” after her regular bail plea was rejected. Setalvad’s regular bail plea was filed last year. Setalvad is accused of fabricating evidence related to the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Setalvad’s lawyer Mihir Thakor sought a 30-day stay on the verdict, but the court rejected the request and ordered Setalvad to surrender to the police immediately.

Gujarat police arrested Setalvad on June 25, 2022, alleging that he fabricated documents to implicate high-ranking officials, including former chief minister Narendra Modi, in cases related to the 2002 post-Godhra train burning violence in Gujarat. Had done He is also the secretary of Citizens for Justice and Peace, an organization that advocates for the rights of riot victims, he was initially sent to police custody for seven days and later to judicial custody on July 2.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Setalvad on September 2, 2022 with the condition that she surrender her passport and fully cooperate with the investigation till the matter is taken up by the High Court. A bench of then Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, Justice Ravindra Bhat and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia directed the Gujarat Police to release Setalvad on suitable conditions.

The Supreme Court noted that the woman, named Setalvad, was in custody for two months and the investigating officer had already conducted custodial interrogation for seven days. The court further noted that the alleged offenses are related to events of 2002, and sought production of relevant documents by 2012.