Teesta Atul Setalvad and Anr. v. State of Gujarat
Background
This is a referral order, not a final judgment. The appellants sought anticipatory bail and relief from custodial interrogation in a case registered in Gujarat as FIR C.R. No. 1 of 2014. An interim order restraining their arrest had been granted earlier.
Decision Breakdown
This is a referral order, not a final judgment. After discussing the competing considerations around liberty and anticipatory bail, the Bench said the matter should be heard by a larger Bench. It directed the Registry to place the matter before the Chief Justice for constitution of an appropriate larger Bench. The interim protection from arrest was continued until the larger Bench takes up the matter.
Lesson Learnt
There is no final ruling yet on the anticipatory bail plea. When a matter is referred to a larger Bench, an existing interim protection simply continues in the meantime.