The Supreme Court criticized the Gujarat High Court’s decision and granted activist Teesta Setalvad parole in the conspiracy case against her.
The High Court had denied her parole because she did not challenge the FIR and chargesheet, but the Supreme Court deemed this reasoning “perverse.” The Court stated that such a denial would prevent bail pleas from being decided prior to trial without challenging the chargesheet.
Consequently, the Supreme Court overturned the High Court’s ruling and granted Setalvad’s appeal. The Court had previously granted Setalvad interim protection in July and ruled that she must turn herself in promptly to avoid exacerbating communal polarization.
Setalvad was detained by the Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad after a Supreme Court ruling in June 2022. The Supreme Court’s decision did not address the issue of evidence fabrication. Setalvad’s arrest the day after the ruling was questioned, and it was noted that she had filed a special leave petition challenging the clear chit given to Narendra Modi.
The court also pointed out that observations against Setalvad leading to her apprehension were made in an order denying her request to be impleaded. The court questioned the necessity of her detention and stated that custodial interrogation was unnecessary given the documentary evidence and filed chargesheet.
As a result, Setalvad was granted parole.
