Regular bail to Teesta Setalvad from the Supreme Court, the court said – keep distance from the witnesses of the Godhra case

The Supreme Court has granted regular bail to social activist Teesta Setalvad in a case related to the post-Godhra riots. The Supreme Court said that the charge sheet has been filed in the case against Teesta Setalvad. Therefore, there is no need for his custodial interrogation.

A bench of Justice BR Gavai, Justice AS Bopanna and Justice Dipankar Datta, while granting bail to Setalvad, directed him not to influence the witnesses in the post-Godhra riots case. The court said that he should keep distance from the witnesses. The triple bench set aside a July 1 order of the Gujarat High Court asking Teesta to surrender in a case related to the post-Godhra riots.

The Supreme Court had given Teesta interim relief from arrest on 1 July. Setalvad is alleged to have tried to manipulate witnesses after the Godhra riots by falsifying documents to implicate some of the biggest faces of the Gujarat government, including Chief Minister Narendra Modi. However, Teesta was arrested earlier due to the order of the Supreme Court.

In 2022, the SC had said that those who tried to tarnish Gujarat should be sent to jail.

In June 2022, the Supreme Court had said that all those who tried to tarnish Gujarat after the riots should be sent to jail. After that, Anti Terror Squad of Gujarat took Teesta into custody. In September 2022, the Supreme Court had granted interim bail to Teesta. The Gujarat High Court had dismissed his regular bail writ. After that Teesta had filed the present petition in the Supreme Court.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal appeared for Setalvad. He said that the intention of the Gujarat government regarding his client is not right. Citing the decision of the Supreme Court, he said that Teesta was arrested immediately after this. What was the hurry after all?