Tarun Tejpal seeks in-camera hearing of bail plea, court to announce verdict today

Zee Media Bureau

Panaji: A Goa court will announce its verdict on Friday on the application filed by Tehelka`s founder editor Tarun Tejpal yesterday seeking in-camera hearing of his bail petition. Tejpal, who is accused of sexually assaulting a women journalist and his colleague, is presently in judicial custody in Sada sub-jail in Vasco, south Goa. His lawyer moved the application for in-camera hearing before the district and sessions court when the case was on board for arguments on his bail plea. The arguments on his petition demanding in-camera hearing were heard yesterday. The court will subsequently hear his bail petition. While the prosecution opposed his application demanding in-camera hearing, it did not oppose the plea for presence of the accused in the court during the hearing. 50-year-old Tejpal, has been booked under IPC sections including 354-A (sexual harassment, physical contact, advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures, or any of the unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature), 376 (rape) and 376 (2)(k) (rape by a person of a woman in his custody taking advantage of his official position). The journalist is currently lodged in Sada sub-jail. His lawyers had also moved a petition before the district court seeking his bail stating that "the accused has not been questioned by police since he was lodged in the judicial custody". (with PTI inputs)