Supreme Court Adjourns Teesta Setalvad's Bail Plea To September 1

The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the petition filed by Teesta Setalvad seeking bail in the case registered by Gujarat ATS alleging falsification of records to implicate high state functionaries in the Gujarat riots conspiracy case.

The bench comprising Chief Justice U.U. Lalit  Justice Ravindra Bhat and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia fixed the case for hearing on Thursday, September 1 at 3 pm. When the matter was taken at 3.45 PM today, the Solicitor General suggested that it could be posted day after tomorrow as well.

"Mr. SG, we could have constituted bench earlier in the day at 10.30 but because we were sitting the Constitution Bench," the CJI said while adjourning the case.

8 Constitution Bench matters were listed in the Supreme Court today.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for Teesta had raised objection to the adjournment.

However, the bench ordered, "Because of paucity of time, matter could not be taken up. List this matter for 3 pm on Thursday."

Teesta has approached the Supreme Court against the Gujarat High Court's refusal to grant her interim bail. She was arrested on June 26 from Mumbai by the Gujarat ATS, a day after the Supreme Court dismissed the petition filed by Zakia Jafri challenging the SIT's clean chit to high-ranking State functionaries and the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2002 riots.

While dismissing Zakia Jafri's petition, a bench led by Justice AM Khanwilkar had blamed the petitioners for "keeping the pot boiling" and showing the "audacity" to question the integrity of the Special Investigation Team and observed that "all those involved in such abuse of process, need to be in the dock and proceeded with in accordance with law".

The very next day, the Gujarat ATS arrested Teesta Setalvad, RB Sreekumar and Sanjiv Bhatt (who is already serving imprisonment in another case) in a case taken alleging filing of false proceedings using forged documents in relation to the 2002 riots.

Case Title: Teesta Atul Setalvad versus State of Gujarat | SLP(Crl) No.7413/2022

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