An Ahmedabad Sessions Court on Thursday, 20 July, denied a discharge plea filed by activist Teesta Setalvad in the 2002 Godhra riots evidence fabrication case, according to a report by NDTV.
Note: If the evidence given before the Court is not sufficient to satisfy the offence and in the absence of any prima facie case against the accused, they can be discharged.
A day after bail: This rejection of her discharge plea came one day after the Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices BR Gavai, AS Bopanna, and Dipankar Datta, set aside a Gujarat High Court order that had previously denied bail to Setalvad.
Additional Sessions Judge Ambalal Patel had reserved the decision after concluding arguments on 12 July. As a result, Setalvad will have to face trial in the evidence fabrication case.
Recap: In 2022, after a Supreme Court judgment in another case, Setalvad was taken into custody by the Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad. The Supreme Court had remarked that those responsible for "maligning the State" after the 2002 Gujarat riots should be held accountable.
In September 2022, the Supreme Court granted her interim bail in the present evidence fabrication case. However, earlier this month, the Gujarat High Court rejected her regular bail plea and ordered her to surrender immediately.
Subsequently, the Supreme Court provided interim protection to Setalvad until the matter could be heard again by the higher court. Ultimately, the Supreme Court ordered that she continues to remain on bail, setting aside the High Court's directions, in an order passed on Wednesday, 19 July.
(With inputs from NDTV)
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