Tarun Tejpal bail petition hearing adjourned to March 12

PANAJI: Hearing on the bail plea of Tehelka magazine's founder editor Tarun Tejpal, charged with rape and sexual assault of a junior journalist colleague in November last year, was adjourned today till March 12 by the Bombay High Court.

After hearing arguments in-camera by prosecution and defence counsels, the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court deferred hearing on the bail plea till March 12.

Tejpal, currently lodged in the Sada sub-jail, was present in the court during the hearing.

Tejpal was last month charged by Goa police with rape, sexual harassment and outraging the modesty of a junior colleague, 80 days after his arrest.

Police had filed a 2,684-page charge sheet against Tejpal, in jail since December 1, under sections 354, 354-A (sexual harassment), 341 and 342 (wrongful restraint), 376 (rape), 376(2)(f) and 376 (2)(k) (taking advantage of official position and raping a woman in custody).

The charge sheet has relied on emails and text messages between the victim and Tejpal, the statements of witnesses, besides CCTV footages of the 5 star hotel lobby outside the lift where the alleged incident happened.

The woman journalist has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Tejpal on successive days on November 7 and 8 inside the lift of the hotel when she had gone to Goa for THiNK Fest 2013.