New Delhi: The new bench of Supreme Court appointed to take the decision on the bail plea of social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband has extended the stay on her arrest.
The top court had directed Setalvad and her NGOs to provide list of documents and means of donors as sought by Gujarat police. In case, Teesta and her husband do not cooperate in the probe, then the court directed the Gujarat police to file an application for cancellation of their bail.
Reportedly, earlier in the hearing, SC had asked the Gujarat government why Teesta Setalvad and her husband were needed in custody for questioning. Court noted that it is a matter of restraining somebody's liberty.
Apparently, Gujarat police was hunting them to question in case of alleged misappropriation of funds worth 1.5 crore allocated for rehabilitation of 2002 Gujarat riot victims.
The new bench comprises of Justices Dipak Misra and Adarsh Goel.
As a surprise development in the case, Chief Justice HL Dattu had assigned the anticipatory bail plea of Setalvad to the new bench although there was no recusal from the previous bench of Justices S J Mukhopadhaya and N V Ramana which had stayed her arrest till Thursday.
