Setalvad's plea: Supreme court comes down on Gujarat govt, HC
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Teesta Setalvad.
New Delhi: Supreme Court came down on the Gujarat government and Gujarat High Court on Thursday over human rights activist Teesta Setalvad's bail. Court asked why the charge sheet was not filed even after two months. The alleged crimes are not as serious as murder, and there is no charge in the FIR that could deny her bail, the top court observed.
A bench comprising Chief Justice UU Lalit, Justice Ravindra Bhat and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia asked how the high court could grant six week's time for the state government to file a response and wondered whether it is the normal practice in Gujarat High court.
Teesta Setalvad was arrested on June 25 for allegedly forging documents to implicate many, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 2002 Gujarat riots case.
The Supreme Court pointed out that Setalvad has been in custody for a month, and no charge sheet has been filed yet. There was nothing in the FIR beyond the observations made by the court dismissing the Sakia Jafri case. A charge of forgery is not a serious offence such as murder or grievous bodily harm, and it is not a non-bailable offence, the court observed.
The Chief Justice asked why a bailable case was dragged on like this. He criticized the action of the Gujarat government and the High Court in a case where no crime like murder or UAPA was charged.
In the end, through the court indicated to grant interim bail to Setalvad, it later accepted Solicitor General's request and adjourned the case for Friday. The case will be heard on Friday at 2 pm.
After the Supreme Court acquitted Modi and others in the Gujarat riots case, it also observed that appropriate legal action was taken against those who made false allegations and evidence in the matter. Police arrested Setalvad after that.