Supreme Court extends Tarun Tejpal’s interim bail till June 27

The Supreme Court today extended till June 27 the interim bail of Tehelka founder editor Tarun Tejpal in a sexual assault case.

A bench comprising justices J S Khehar and C Nagappan extended the interim bail, saying, “He had already been granted this relief earlier”.

Former External Affairs Minister and senior advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for Tejpal, said certain subsequent rituals after the death of his mother are yet to be performed and the interim bail be extended by at least three more weeks.

“Give us one good reason as to why he should not be granted interim bail. Due to the red-tapism, he could not attend his mother’s funeral and this court should do something to redeem that,” the bench said.

The counsel for Goa Police opposed the plea, saying the accused has been found using a SIM card inside the jail and there have been allegations that he has threatened the investigating officer in the case and attempted to influence the victim’s mother.

“We have well grounded apprehensions and reasons to oppose the plea of accused,” he said.

The court, however, made it clear that Tejpal will have to keep on appearing before the trial court in the case.

Tejpal had yesterday moved the apex court seeking extension of his interim bail on the ground that his presence was needed at home following the death of his mother.

His counsel had also told the court that despite being granted interim bail, Tejpal could not attend the funeral of his mother.

The apex court had on May 19 granted him interim bail for three weeks to enable him to attend the cremation of his mother, who had died on May 18, and subsequent rituals.

50-year-old Tejpal has been charge sheeted 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 and is presently out on interim bail.

He has been accused of sexually assaulting the victim on November 7 and repeating the offence the next day.

Before being released on interim bail, he was lodged at Sada sub-jail in Goa’s Vasco town.