India's top court grants bail to anti-Modi activist

India's top court on Friday granted bail to human rights activist Teesta Setalvad, who has spearheaded a campaign to hold officials accountable for deadly riots in 2002.

Setalvad had backed a lawsuit to challenge a ruling that cleared Prime Minister Narendra Modi of an outbreak of religious violence in the western state of Gujarat. Setalvad was detained in June, after the Supreme Court rejected the lawsuit.

She has denied the allegations and hasn't been formally charged.

What did the Supreme Court say?

The Supreme Court ruled that the activist had been in custody for long enough to be questioned over the charges brought against her.

"In our view, the appellant is entitled to the release on interim bail," a three-judge bench said.

Setalvad had sought the Supreme Court's intervention after a court in Gujarat deferred a bail hearing for seven weeks. The interim bail will stand until the Gujarat court decides on the plea.

Government counsel accused her of tutoring witnesses, forgery and submitting false evidence.

Two former police officers have been arrested as part of the same case.

What were the Gujarat riots?

Setalvad had filed several lawsuits that accused Modi's administration of failing to stop violence during the riots in Gujarat.

Modi, now Prime Minister, was Chief Minister of Gujarat during the 2002 outbreak of sectarian violence in the state.

The unrest began after 59 Hindus died in a fire that broke out on a train returning from Ayodhya, believed to be the birthplace of the deity Rama and an important pilgrimage site.  1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in the ensuing riots.

Critics have alleged that authorities under Modi's watch allowed or even encouraged anti-Muslim violence. Modi was exonerated by a Supreme Court inquiry in 2012.

Setalvad rose to prominence during her long legal campaign for Zakia Jafri, whose husband, Ehsan Jafri, was burned alive by a Hindu mob. Ehsan Jafri was a prominent Muslim politician and had offered refuge to people fleeing violence during the riots.

Zakia Jafri has sought to establish that the riots were the result of a high-level conspiracy involving Modi.

sdi/wd (AP, AFP, Reuters)