In a recent decision, the Supreme Court of India has allowed human rights activist Teesta Setalvad to travel to Amsterdam to attend the International Documentary Film Festival. Setalvad is set to participate in the festival from November 14 to November 24, 2024, where she will represent her documentary film Cycle Mahesh.
The bench, consisting of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan, approved Setalvad’s request to travel, stipulating her compliance with specific conditions, including the submission of an undertaking to return and continue facing her trial in India. “The applicant is permitted to travel to Amsterdam, Netherlands, for a period of 11 days,” the court declared, highlighting the need for Setalvad to re-surrender her passport upon her return.
Setalvad, who had been granted regular bail by the apex court in July 2023 in a case related to the alleged fabrication of documents concerning the 2002 post-Godhra riots, has had her movements restricted. The court’s decision reflects a continuation of its approach from August 20, when it allowed her to travel to Malaysia for a conference.*
During the proceedings, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Setalvad, emphasized her role in the acclaimed documentary and requested the court’s permission for her travel, stating, “My documentary has been awarded in Amsterdam. I am seeking your lordships’ permission to go to Amsterdam from November 14 to November 24.” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, did not oppose the travel but insisted on stringent conditions to ensure Setalvad’s return.
The court has also ordered Setalvad to furnish a financial surety of Rs 10 lakh, which can be in the form of a solvent surety, cash, or a fixed deposit receipt, to the satisfaction of the sessions court in Bhadra, Ahmedabad.
This decision comes after a series of legal battles for Setalvad, following the Supreme Court’s criticism in the Zakia Jafri case last year. Jafri, widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed in the Gulberg Housing Society during the 2002 violence, had alleged a larger conspiracy behind the riots, a claim that led to significant legal scrutiny and the eventual arrest of Setalvad.
