Panaji: In a recent development in the Tehelka Sexual Assault case, Tarun Tejpal has reportedly moved to the Apex Court seeking for a bail. Tarun Tejpal has been trying to get a bail for a long time and had filed an application in the Bombay High Court too.
On 14th March, 2014, in its verdict the Bombay High Court had rejected Tarun Tejpal’s Bail Application by saying the principal witnesses are yet to be examined. Later in April this year, Hon. Judge of the fast track court, Vijaya Pol, had granted him permission to meet his ailing mother. Tarun Tejpal’s mother Shakuntala Tejpal is suffering from Brain Tumor which is said to be in its last stages. After going through the medical certificates and 
the other related documents presented by the lawyers, the court had granted him permission to meet his mother.
Now Tarun Tejpal and his eloquence of lawyers have decided to move to the Supreme Court of India for seeking a bail. An application has been filed by Tejpal through Karanjawala’s and Co.
While speaking to Spectralhues, eminent Supreme Court Advocate Prashant Padmanabhan said, “In my perspective Tarun Tejpal has now got a fair chance to get a bail. It’s all a chance but his plea is now strengthened by the fact that the chargesheet in this case has been filed on Feb. 17 but he’s still inside. An accused will be kept inside initially to collect evidence from him, to ensure that he does not influence witnesses etc. Once the investigation is complete and chargesheet is filed the prosecution need not require his custody. I can’t confidently say whether or not the honorable Supreme Court will grant him bail.”
“Conviction is definitely possible but at a later stage once the trial court finds him guilty. Now the case has just started, in legal terms. It is at the stage of start of trial. There’s a strong possibility that he will be convicted but then for granting bail that is not a consideration,” Mr. Padmanabhan added.
Case details Step-by-Step:
A Prolific persona Tarun Tejpal, founder and former Editor-in-Chief of the investigative Tehelka Magazine has been charged of sexually assaulting a young Tehelka female Correspondent. All this had happened during the Tehelka Think Fest 2013 which was held at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Goa. The incident came into limelight after the fest got over. This offence of Tarun Tejpal came into public domain after the e-mails between him and Tehelka’s former Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhary were leaked.
The Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had ordered an unbiased probe into this case. The Goa Police had scanned the C.C.TV footages of the Hotel where the incident had occurred. On 22nd and F.I.R was lodged into the case. Tarun Tejpal was absconding until 29th November last year, when he moved to Goa to assemble before the Goa Police. Since his arrest on the next day, he has been in Sada Sub Jail in Vasco town.
Tarun Tejpal has been booked under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force against woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354-A (outraging modesty), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 376 (Rape), 376(2) (f) (person in position of trust for authority over a women commits rape on such women) and 376(2) (k) (rape of a women by a person being in position of control or dominance over the women) IPC.
In December 2013, Tarun Tejpal filed his first bail application in the High Court which was rejected. A 2,684-page charge sheet in this case was filed before Chief Judicial Magistrate Anuja Prabhudesai on 17th February this year.
So-far, Tarun Tejpal has spent five months in jail.
Tags: Sexually assault Shoma Chaudhary spectralhues Tahelka Tarun Tejpal Tehelka Think Fest
