The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave permission to human rights activist Teesta Setalvad to travel to Amsterdam for the upcoming world premier of her documentary ‘CycleMahesh’.
Appearing for the activist, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal submitted that her passport needed to be released for 30 days for her to apply for a Schengen visa to travel to the Netherlands for 10 days from November 14-24.
The Senior Counsel said Setalvad had received an invitation from the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam to attend the festival in her capacity as Producer of the documentary film, which would have its world premiere in the Envision Competition of the event.
Appearing for the State of Gujarat, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contended that he wanted to object, but could not do so. He added that he had experience of what Setalvad did with one State and how things have happened.
The Bench of Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan delivered the verdict on the same conditions as stated in its August 2024 order, when it permitted Setalvad to visit Malaysia to attend an anti-racism conference subject to two conditions.
The activist was directed to file an undertaking, stating that she would return after the aforesaid period, besides depositing a solvent security of Rs 10 lakh. She was further ordered to submit her passport after returning from the conference.
In 2023, Setalvad was granted regular bail in a case registered by the Gujarat police over the alleged fabrication of evidence in the 2002 riots in Godhra, Gujarat.
In August this year, the Bench of Justice BR Gavai, Justice AS Bopanna and Justice Dipankar Datta had quashed the Gujarat High Court order that denied regular bail to Setalvad.
One of the conditions imposed for bail was that Setalvad’s passport would continue to be in the custody of the Sessions Court.
Setavad was represented by Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal and Aparna Bhat, along with Advocate Karishma Maria and AoR Abhimanue Shrestha.