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The Supreme Court of India has granted permission to prominent activist Teesta Setalvad to travel to the Netherlands to attend the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam. The court ordered the release of her passport for a ten-day visit, commencing from November 14th to November 24th. This decision comes after Setalvad's legal team, represented by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, presented an invitation from the festival organizers for her to showcase her documentary film, 'CycleMahesh,' as the producer. 'CycleMahesh' tells the story of Mahesh, a young man stranded after India's nationwide lockdown and his subsequent journey home on a bicycle.
Setalvad's request to travel was met with a previous precedent set by the Supreme Court in August. The court had then allowed her to travel to Malaysia for eleven days and ordered the return of her passport. However, she was required to re-surrender her passport to the trial court upon her return. This condition, along with a financial surety of Rs. 10,00,000, was also applied to her trip to the Netherlands. The Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, did not oppose the request but emphasized the need for conditions to ensure Setalvad's return to face trial in a case related to the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The Supreme Court's decision highlights the ongoing legal proceedings against Teesta Setalvad. In July 2022, she was granted regular bail in connection with a case alleging fabrication of evidence concerning the 2002 riots. The court deemed custodial interrogation unnecessary since the charge sheet had already been filed, but cautioned Setalvad against influencing witnesses. The court also mandated the deposit of her passport with the trial court while she remains on bail. This latest decision allows Setalvad to attend the film festival while ensuring her return to face the ongoing trial.
Source: SC allows Teesta Setalvad's plea to travel to Netherlands, Legal News, ET LegalWorld