<p>The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Gujarat government why it was making an "exception" of activist Teesta Setalvad arrested on June 25 for alleged fabrication of evidence in cases related to the 2002 Gujarat riots.</p>.<p>The top court also expressed its concern over the High Court's decision to post her plea for consideration after six weeks. In her case, the HC issued notice on August 3 and posted her plea for hearing on September 19.</p>.<p>A three-judge bench presided over by CJI U U Lalit asked the Gujarat government led by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to bring on record details of cases where in a matter involving a lady, the high court has given such a long adjournment.</p>.<p>After hearing senior advocate Kapil Sibal for Setalvad and Mehta, who raised preliminary objections to her plea, the bench, also comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia said, “We still have not got the material against her and she has been in custody for over two months."</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/in-perspective/this-remission-is-a-reward-1140528.html" target="_blank">This remission is a reward</a></strong></p>.<p>"We will hear this case tomorrow at 2 pm. Give us instances where a lady accused in such cases has got such dates from high court. Either this lady has been made an exception....How can the court give this date? Is this standard practice in Gujarat?" an apparently displeased CJI said.</p>.<p>Mehta said the HC has not treated her case as special one.</p>.<p>At one point, the bench suggested, “If we give interim bail and list the matter for September 19”. The offences against Setalvad are normal IPC offences, having no bar on grant of bail, it pointed out, adding the FIR against her was nothing more than what was recorded in the court's judgement.</p>.<p>“I strongly oppose, I would argue it is more serious than a murder case," Mehta said. He also claimed there were statements of witnesses recorded before the police and the judicial magistrate.</p>.<p>On June 24, the Supreme Court had upheld the clean chit given to Modi and others in the 2002 Gujarat riots, terming the plea filed by Zakia Jafri, whose husband Congress MP Ahsan Jafri was killed in the violence, as abuse of the process. </p>.<p>In a strongly worded order, the court had said there is a need to put those looking "to keep the pot boiling" with an "ulterior motive" in the dock.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Gujarat government why it was making an "exception" of activist Teesta Setalvad arrested on June 25 for alleged fabrication of evidence in cases related to the 2002 Gujarat riots.</p>.<p>The top court also expressed its concern over the High Court's decision to post her plea for consideration after six weeks. In her case, the HC issued notice on August 3 and posted her plea for hearing on September 19.</p>.<p>A three-judge bench presided over by CJI U U Lalit asked the Gujarat government led by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to bring on record details of cases where in a matter involving a lady, the high court has given such a long adjournment.</p>.<p>After hearing senior advocate Kapil Sibal for Setalvad and Mehta, who raised preliminary objections to her plea, the bench, also comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia said, “We still have not got the material against her and she has been in custody for over two months."</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/in-perspective/this-remission-is-a-reward-1140528.html" target="_blank">This remission is a reward</a></strong></p>.<p>"We will hear this case tomorrow at 2 pm. Give us instances where a lady accused in such cases has got such dates from high court. Either this lady has been made an exception....How can the court give this date? Is this standard practice in Gujarat?" an apparently displeased CJI said.</p>.<p>Mehta said the HC has not treated her case as special one.</p>.<p>At one point, the bench suggested, “If we give interim bail and list the matter for September 19”. The offences against Setalvad are normal IPC offences, having no bar on grant of bail, it pointed out, adding the FIR against her was nothing more than what was recorded in the court's judgement.</p>.<p>“I strongly oppose, I would argue it is more serious than a murder case," Mehta said. He also claimed there were statements of witnesses recorded before the police and the judicial magistrate.</p>.<p>On June 24, the Supreme Court had upheld the clean chit given to Modi and others in the 2002 Gujarat riots, terming the plea filed by Zakia Jafri, whose husband Congress MP Ahsan Jafri was killed in the violence, as abuse of the process. </p>.<p>In a strongly worded order, the court had said there is a need to put those looking "to keep the pot boiling" with an "ulterior motive" in the dock.</p>
