Tarun Tejpal booked for possession of mobile phone in jail

PANAJI: The Goa police booked Tehelka news magazine's founder editor Tarun Tejpal, three days after he was found illegally possessing a mobile phone in his cell.

"A case has been registered against Tejpal under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prisons Act," Superintendent of Police (South) Vijay Singh told a news agency today.

The complaint was filed against Tejpal and six others for possessing mobile phones inside the Sada sub-jail, which were seized during a routine raid of the cell on Monday.

The police said that Tejpal had been booked under Sections 120, 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), 130 (aiding other criminals) and 188 (violating jail rules) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 46 of the Prisons Act which could curtail facilities given to Tejpal.

The 50-year-old journalist has been behind bars for allegedly raping a junior woman colleague during an event in Goa in November last year.

Goa Crime branch has already filed a charge sheet against Tejpal for rape, outraging modesty and sexual harassment of a woman journalist.

Tejpal has sought bail before the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court which would be heard on March 4.