Tejpal arrested after court rejects bail plea

‘prima facie involved in acts that constitute custodial rape’
press trust of india
PANAJI, 30 NOV: Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal was tonight arrested by Goa police after a court here rejected his anticipatory bail plea holding that prima facie he was involved in acts which constitute custodial rape and outraging of the modesty of his woman colleague. The arrest of 50-year-old Tejpal came ten days after it became public that he had allegedly sexually assaulted the colleague during an event here early this month.
“The statement of the victim and the documents in the form of emails etc… prima facie indicate that the applicant, who was her mentor and father figure, had not only outraged her modesty but had misused his position, betrayed her trust and violated her body,” District and Sessions judge Anuja Prabhudesai observed in her order. The court also rejected the defence contention that the case against Tejpal was politically motivated or that anti-rape laws were “draconian”.
Tejpal’s cat-and-mouse game with the police ended 90 minutes after the judge rejected his anticipatory bail plea which was argued for the last two days and strongly opposed by the prosecution. The 50-year-old Tehelka founder was formally taken into custody at the Crime Branch headquarters in Dona Paula where Tejpal, along with his family, was waiting for the delayed court order for three and half hours from 4.30 p.m. He will be taken for mandatory medical test.
Tejpal yesterday dodged a combined team of Goa and Delhi police which had raided his house in Delhi at the crack of dawn and landed in Goa only after the Sessions Judge gave him interim protection against arrest order till her final order.
After the episode came to light on 20 November, Tejpal accepted ”misconduct” against the journalist and offered to recuse himself from his post and the office for six months. Since then, he has made flip-flops, claiming it was a consensual act and virtually questioning the integrity of the woman journalist who had alleged that he attempted sexual assault on her twice in a lift in a five-star hotel here.
The court, in its order, said “the material on record prima facie indicates that the applicant is involved in committing acts which constitute offences under Section 354A (outraging the modesty of a woman) and 376 (2)(K) (custodial rape) of IPC”. She said the offence under Section 354A is punishable with imprisonment of seven years whereas the offence under Section 376 (2) (K) is punishable with imprisonment which can extend to life.
“This, being the case, there can be no dispute that the offences alleged are of serious nature. The gravity of the offence, though not the sole criteria, is one of the essential factors, which would disentitle the applicant for bail”, the judge said.
 

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