Plea rejected, Tejpal arrested

He waited at crime branch office for ruling on anticipatory bail
Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal was arrested close to 9.30 p.m. on Saturday on charges of sexually assaulting a young colleague, after Sessions Court judge Anuja Prabhudesai rejected his anticipatory bail application. He was taken to the Goa Medical College for a check-up after arrest.

Judge Prabhudesai’s order came a little after 8 p.m. She started hearing the matter at 10 a.m. and said the order would be delivered by 4.30 p.m. However, the order was delivered three and a half hours later. Mr. Tejpal applied for bail on Friday. He was granted interim bail till 10 a.m. on Saturday.

At 4.30 p.m., when the order was expected, Mr. Tejpal was headed to the Goa crime branch with members of his family including his brother, a friend and one daughter. They left shortly before he was arrested by investigating officer Sunita Sawant who arrived with the court order. His counsel Geeta Luthra told reporters, “he is cooperating with the authorities.”

He will be produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class, Panaji onSunday to be remanded in police custody, police sources said.

The court proceedings were attended by Mr. Tejpal’s wife, daughter and a few family friends.Mr. Tejpal was also present in the morning. Special Public Prosecutor Saresh Lotalikar, opposing the bail application, argued that the police needed to take Mr. Tejpal into custody for the “truth to come out.. Mr. Tejpal was trying to influence the victim’s family members since he was in a “position of power,” he added.

Mr. Lotalikar said that the victim had stuck to her version, unlike Mr. Tejpal. “The accused is like a chameleon, who changes his colour every now and then,” he said. He also argued, “Mr. Tejpal’s cooperation seems to be coming on his own terms. He was not available at his home in Delhi when Goa police went there.” He alleged that Mr. Tejpal was using court proceedings to evade arrest.

Ms. Luthra said there was no need to arrest Mr. Tejpal since he was willing to cooperate with the police. “He will do as police wants him to do, even stay in Goa for time period required by them,” she said.