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SC refers Teesta Setalvad's interim bail plea to a larger bench after two judges differ

by IBNS | @indiablooms 01 Jul 2023, 12:33 pm

New Delhi/UNI/IBNS: The Supreme Court on Saturday  referred to the CJI for the constitution of a larger (3-judge) bench to hear the plea of activist Teesta Setalvad, after Gujarat HC rejected her bail plea in a case of fabrication of documents related to 2002 post-Godhra riot cases.

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice A S Oka and also comprising Justice P K Mishra, differed on grant of interim bail to Teesta Setalvad in the case relating to the alleged forging of documents in post-Godhra riot cases, in which Gujarat High Court had rejected her bail plea earlier on Saturday and asked her to surrender.

On an interim bail since September, she will face immediate arrest if the Supreme Court does not hear her plea.

The Solicitor general (SG) Tushar Mehta, senior law officer appearing for the Gujarat government, said Setalvad did not deserve even interim bail as she had forged documents, tutored witnesses and influenced the justice delivery system to make sensational allegations against the state government.

Social activist Teesta immediately moved the SC, after the Gujarat HC rejected her bail plea in the case of fabrication of documents related to 2002 post-Godhra riot cases.

She was earlier granted interim bail by the SC till the HC decided her bail.

During the hearing, Justice Oka was inclined to grant Setlvad the interim bail till Tuesday when SC could have a detailed hearing on her bail plea. However, Justice Mishra appeared reluctant to grant her interim bail.

Thereby now the matter would be heard by a larger three-judge bench.