Apex court delays Tejpal’s interim bail

Tejpal will have to stay in jail for now as the apex court on Monday refused to grant him any immediate relief. However, SC agreed to hear his plea for interim bail and issued a notice to Goa government. To allay fears of influencing witnesses, senior advocate Harish Salve appearing for Tejpal, told the apex court that if granted bail the former Tehelka editor will not come to Delhi where the complainant and witnesses stay. 

However, the top court said it would not grant any interim order without hearing the prosecution.

A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam asked the Goa Police to file its reply within four weeks. 50-year-old Tejpal approached the apex court challenging the 14 March  verdict of the Goa bench of the Bombay high court which had rejected his bail plea. 

Tejpal has been chargesheeted 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 30 November, 2013. 

Tejpal had applied for bail at the apex court after it was rejected by the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court. Tejpal has been in custody since November 2013 on charges of allegedly raping a junior colleague in Goa.