The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to rights activist Teesta Setalvad in a case of conspiracy pertaining to the 2002 Gujarat riots. The activist was arrested on June 25 by Gujarat state police’s anti-terrorism wing.
“The appellant has been in custody for more than two months and at this stage is certainly entitled the relief of interim bail during the pendency of consideration of her substantive application which is pending before HC,” the apex court observed while granting relief to Setalvad.
The Gujarat High Court has been asked to decide the final bail plea, but Setalvad will be released in the meantime, the top court said, adding that she be released by Saturday without insisting on local surety.
The order was passed by a bench of CJI Uday Umesh Lalit and Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia.