A SIGH OF RELIEF FOR TARUN TEJPAL,FOUNDER EDITOR TEHELKA AS SUPREME COURT GRANTS REGULAR BAIL

The Supreme Court  today granted regular bail to Tehelka  founder editor Tarun Tejpal in a sexual assault case filed by his colleague with a warning that it will be cancelled if he tries to tamper with evidence or induce witnesses.

A bench headed by Justice H L Dattu, however, said denial of bail to him would curtail his liberty and would come in the way of him getting fair trial if he remains in jail.

The bench, also comprising justice S A Bobde, which imposed stringent conditions for his release on bail, said it was not (not) disposing Tejpal’s petition and keeping it alive so that violation of any one of the condition by him would enable the Goa police to immediately move the apex court for the recall of the bail order.

It asked the trial court judge in Goa to expeditiously complete the trial in the case, preferably within eight months from today.

The apex court did not agree with the Goa government’s contention that reasonable apprehension of influencing witnesses and Tejpal’s past conduct in this regard should be considered as grounds for denying him regular bail.

Courtesy:Agencies (PTI)