No relief for Tehelka Editor

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today reserved its order for November 29, on the anticipatory bail plea hearing of Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal in the sexual assault case.

In his petition, the Tehelka Editor had sought interim protection against arrest in the case for a period of four weeks.

Also read: Manohar Parrikar rejects Tarun Tejpal's charges

The hearing which was to begin in the morning, was deferred till 3.30 PM on the ground that his lawyers were busy in the apex court. "Put up for hearing at 3.30 PM," Justice Sunita Gupta said.

At the start of the hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Goa police, said he was ready to argue the case and had kept the morning hours only for it. However, the counsel for Tejpal told the bench, "Senior advocate K T S Tulsi is busy arguing a part-heard matter in the Supreme Court and I seek pass over in this case."

Earlier, the court had issued notice to the Goa police for today and rejected the plea of Tejpal for grant of interim protection against arrest. The Tehelka Editor, in his bail plea, had denied the allegation and accused Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of taking undue interest in the case.

Tejpal has claimed that he was falsely implicated in the case at the behest of BJP. He has alleged that BJP has "unleashed the wrath of its vengeance upon him in the garb of the present FIR". His bail plea was opposed by both the Goa and Delhi police. The judge had yesterday sought reply of the Goa police on the scribe's plea whose application for transit bail was opposed by the Delhi police.

The Goa police has registered the FIR against Tejpal for allegedly sexually assaulting his junior on November 7 and 8 at a hotel in Panaji. The alleged incident happened in a lift in a five-star and the victim yesterday recorded her statement before the Goa police in Mumbai.

Senior advocate Tulsi had yesterday said in the court, "This has become a political battle. I am entitled to interim protection as has been the practice in this court. "At best, the case is of section 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman) of the IPC and it is the figment of imagination that it has become a case of section 376 (rape) of the IPC."

Next: Victim arrives in Goa to give statement to cops 

Victim arrives in Goa to give statement to cops 

Panaji: The woman journalist, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal, arrived in Goa today to give her statement in the case, police sources said. The victim will give her statement before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Panaji.

Investigating officer Sunita Sawant accompanied the victim from Mumbai, they said. The victim had been allegedly sexually assaulted by Tejpal in an elevator at a five star resort in Goa. The Goa police had on November 22 lodged an FIR against Tejpal under IPC sections 376 (rape), 376 (2)(k) (rape by a person of a woman in his custody taking advantage of his official position) and 354 (outraging modesty) in connection with the incident.

Following the incident, the journalist had resigned from Tehelka, accusing Tejpal and Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhary of a "cover-up" and resorting to "tactics of intimidation, character assassination and slander".

Next: Sushma Swaraj claims Union Min shielding Tejpal

Swaraj claims Union Min shielding Tejpal

New Delhi: Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj today lashed out at Congress, saying a Union Cabinet Minister is "shielding" Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal, who is accused of sexually assaulting his junior colleague.

Without naming anyone, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha today tweeted, "Union Cabinet Minister who is the founder and patron of Tehelka is shielding Tarun Tejpal." Congress and BJP have been involved in a slugfest over the issue.

Rejecting Tejpal's demand that the sexual assault case against him be handed over to CBI, BJP had said he may use this as an "escape route" as he is close to the ruling Congress.

Yesterday, BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu had said, "This (plea to give case to CBI) can be an excuse. It may be an escape route to get away... Congress likes Tejpal and he likes Congress."

Congress, however, rejected BJP's contention and claimed that there is no reason why this issue should be linked to politics. Party spokesperson P C Chacko drew parallels of this case with the snooping scandal allegedly involving Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.