HC adjourns hearing on Tejpal's bail plea till March 7

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday deferred till Friday the hearing on bail petition of Tehelka founder editor Tarun Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting a woman colleague, after listening to the arguments in-camera.

Tejpal's application will be heard in the open court.

Earlier in the day, both prosecution and defence unanimously requested the court for in-camera hearing, saying a lot has already been written about the case in the media, following which the single bench of Justice U V Bakre agreed to hear the bail plea in-camera for.

The Goa bench of the court took up the case around 10.30 am and began the hearing in-camera. The arguments were over by 4.30 pm.

The 50-year-old journalist has been behind bars for allegedly raping the junior colleague in a lift of a star hotel during Tehelka's Thinkfest in Goa in November last year.

He sought bail after Goa Crime branch filed a charge sheet against Tejpal for rape, outraging modesty and sexual harassment.

On February 18, the Goa bench, refused to give any immediate relief to Tejpal and posted the matter for Tuesday asking the prosecution to table the copy of the charge sheet filed against him.

Tejpal is currently lodged in Sada sub-jail in Vasco.

Image: Tehelka founder editor Tarun Tejpal