On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of India dismissed activist Teesta Setalvad's application for the return of her passport, which is currently held by a Gujarat trial court as a condition of her bail. Setalvad's passport was surrendered following her arrest in connection with alleged document fabrication related to the 2002 Gujarat riots. The court, comprising Justices Dipankar Datta, SC Sharma, and Alok Aradhe, stated that Setalvad could file a new application for her passport after submitting a travel itinerary. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Setalvad, argued that she needs her passport for renewal and timely visa processing for future travels. The bench recognized the fundamental right to travel abroad and assured that if her passport required renewal, the court would facilitate the process. Setalvad was granted regular bail on July 19, 2023, after the Supreme Court deemed her custodial interrogation unnecessary due to the documentary nature of evidence in her case. The case against her arose from a plea by Zakia Jafri, a riot victim seeking an investigation into the 2002 riots, which led to Setalvad's arrest after the Supreme Court's critical remarks regarding the integrity of the investigation process.