Supreme Court grants regular bail to Teesta Setalvad in 2002 Gujarat riots case

Supreme Court (SC) on July 17 granted regular bail to Teesta Setalvad in connection with the FIR for allegedly fabricating evidence in the 2002 Gujarat riot case.

The apex court quashed the Gujarat High Court's order denying her bail. However, the court said that during bail, Setalvad's passport will remain deposited with the trial court.

The court directed that Setalvad will not attempt to influence witnesses and will maintain distance from witnesses who mostly live in Gujarat.

The apex court also allowed Gujarat police to seek cancellation of bail by approaching the top court if Setalvad is found to violate the condition on which she has got the bail.

Earlier in July, the top court had denied interim protection to Teesta Setalvad after hearing the argument made by Setalvad's lawyer and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. 

The SC bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra heard the matter.

''The court has decided that the matter will be placed before a higher bench for further consideration. We request the Chief Justice of India (CJI) to constitute a larger bench for the case,'' the court had said.

In a case filed by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch for allegedly forging evidence in the 2002 Gujarat riots case, Setalvad along with former Gujarat Director General of Police RB Sreekumar and former IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt were taken into custody on June 25 of last year.

Also read: Major terror module busted in Bengaluru, 5 suspects arrested