The Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to extend the interim bail granted to activist Teesta Setalvad till further orders.Teesta Setalvad, a journalist and civil rights activist, is accused of fabricating evidence in connection to the 2002 Gujarat riots.A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices BR Gavai, AS Bopanna and Dipankar Datta issued a notice to the Gujarat government on Setalvads protection plea and posted the matter for hearing on July 19.“We will hear it on July 19. Interim order to continue,” the three-judge bench observed.Supreme Court extends interim protection given to activist Teesta Setalvad in a case of alleged fabrication of evidence in relation to the 2002 Gujarat riots. Supreme Court posts the matter for hearing on July 19.(File photo) pic.twitter.com/byXONIVfHU— ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2023The apex court has asked both parties to file documents by July 15.The Gujarat government is being represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General SV Raju. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal is representing Teesta Setalvad.#WATCH | Solicitor General Tushar Mehta arrives at the Supreme Court. He is appearing for Gujarat Government.In a special sitting, a three-judge bench of Justices BR Gavai, AS Bopanna and Dipankar Datta are hearing plea of activist Teesta Setalvad against the Gujarat High Court… pic.twitter.com/MsWUGNCd5T— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2023SC stayed Gujarat HC order asking for Teesta Setalvads arrestThe Supreme Court, on Saturday evening, stayed an order from the Gujarat High Court denying bail to Setalvad and ordering her to surrender immediately to the authorities.The High Court had denied bail to Setalvad, observing that granting bail would “deepen and widen communal polarisation” at a time when “we [the country] are heading towards progress of the country with an effort to strengthen communal harmony and brotherhood”.Hours after the High Court pronounced its judgement on Saturday, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court stayed that order and granted her interim protection from arrest.Expressing surprise at the hurry shown by the High Court, Justice BR Gavai observed, “What is the urgency in taking her into custody Will the skies fall if interim protection is granted for some days What is the alarming urgency”Teesta Setalvad was arrested by the Gujarat Police on June 25, 2022, on charges of fabricating evidence to falsely implicate people in connection with the 2002 Gujarat riots. She has been charged under IPC Sections 468 (forgery for cheating) and 194 (fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction for capital offences).Several opposition parties have spoken in favour of the arrested activist and accused the ruling government of targetting her for speaking for the Gujarat riot victims.VIDEO | “The BJP government has time and again reprimanded the ones who have spoken against them by implicating them in false cases and producing false evidences,” says Samajwadi Party spokesperson Abbas Haider ahead of Supreme Court hearing on Teesta Setalvad bail plea. pic.twitter.com/z5S288bn3V— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 5, 2023VIDEO | The Supreme Court has acted as per the Constitution and protected the dignity and rights of a woman. We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will not let any government do any injustice, says Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput ahead of the hearing on Teesta Setalvad… pic.twitter.com/IXOhmwjY6e— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 5, 2023
