New Delhi: The Supreme Court today agreed to hear the bail plea of Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal, an accused in a rape case, and issued notice to the Goa Police.A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam asked the Goa Police to file its reply within four weeks.
During the brief arguments,
senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Tejpal, pleaded for interim bail
and said that the apex court can impose the condition on him not to leave Goa
and come to Delhi during the pendency of the trial, which would be acceptable
to him.50-year-old Tejpal approached the apex court challengingthe March 14
verdict of the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court which had rejected his bail
plea.Tejpal has been chargesheeted for allegedly raping, sexually harassing and
outraging the modesty of a junior colleague during an event held at a hotel in
Goa in November last year. Tejpal was arrested on November 30, 2013.He has been
accused of sexually assaulting the victim on November 7 and repeating the
offence the next day.
He is currently in judicial
custody and lodged at Sada sub-jail in Goa’s Vasco town.Tejpal, in his bail
petition, stated there were 152 prosecution witnesses who have to be
cross-examined by the court, due to which the trial is likely to get prolonged
further.Tejpal has ben chargesheeted under sections 354, 354-A (sexual
harassment), 341 and 342 (wrongful restrain), 376 (rape), 376(2)(f) (being a
person in a position of trust or authority towards the woman and rapes her) and
376 (2)(k) (being in a position of control or dominance over a woman and rapes
her) of the IPC.The Goa Police has claimed in the chargesheet that there was
sufficient evidence available in the form of documents and statements on record
to show that Tejpal had been evading police after commission of the alleged
crime.
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