Teesta Setalvad gets SC nod for trip to Malaysia for conference

“I (Setalvad) am seeking your lordships permission to go to Malaysia for an anti-racism conference from August 31 to September 10,” he told the bench.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Gujarat government, said she should be asked to file an undertaking before the court.

The bench noted Mehta’s submission that it was necessary that certain conditions should be imposed on her so that her return is ensured to face the trial.

While permitting Setalvad to travel to Malaysia, the bench said her passport be returned to her. “The petitioner (Setalvad) shall file an undertaking before this court that she will return to India as scheduled and face the trial,” the bench said, adding that she shall also furnish a solvent surety of `10 lakh to the satisfaction of the sessions court.

On her return from Malaysia, Setalvad shall re-surrender her passport with the trial judge, the court said.

On July 19 last year, the top court had quashed the July 1 order of the Gujarat High Court, which had denied bail to Setalvad in the case.