Supreme Court Allows Teesta Setalvad's Malaysia Trip for Anti-Racism Conference

The Supreme Court has granted activist Teesta Setalvad permission to travel to Malaysia from August 31 to September 10 for an anti-racism conference. Setalvad must file an undertaking to return to India as scheduled and has been asked to furnish a solvent surety of Rs 10 lakh. Her passport, currently held by the sessions court, will be temporarily returned for her travel.

The Supreme Court has granted activist Teesta Setalvad permission to travel to Malaysia from August 31 to September 10 for an anti-racism conference. Setalvad must file an undertaking with the court to confirm her return to India as scheduled. The court has instructed her to furnish a solvent surety of Rs 10 lakh to guarantee compliance.

Setalvad's passport, which has been in the custody of the sessions court since her bail in a case concerning the alleged fabrication of documents in the 2002 post-Godhra riot cases, will be temporarily returned to facilitate her travel. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, emphasized the need for these conditions to ensure her return to face trial.

Setalvad, represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, has been actively seeking permission to travel abroad for the conference. Upon her return, she is required to re-surrender her passport to the trial judge. This development follows the Supreme Court's quashing of a Gujarat High Court order that had initially denied her bail in July last year.