Disgraced Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal, who arrived in Goa on Friday evening, after dodging the police for more than 24 hours, got a temporary reprieve from a local court which granted him interim bail until 10 am on Saturday when the hearing of the anticipatory bail application will resume.
Tejpal, who is accompanied by a battery of lawyers, was questioned by Crime Branch officials till late on Friday, even as his counsel Geeta luthra claimed that the editor was “co-operating with the investigation.”
However, Tejpal’s arrival in Goa preceded high drama. In the morning a joint team of the Goa Police and the Delhi Police raided his residence in Delhi in an obvious bid to arrest him. But Tejpal remained out of bound for them. His legal teams pre-empted police action by securing interim relief against his arrest till 2.30 pm on Friday from a session court in Panjim.
As words leaked out that Tejpal would catch an afternoon flight for Goa, hundreds of TV journalists thronged the Delhi airport. A smug-looking Tejpal, who made his first public appearance since the scandal broke out ten days ago, said he was going to Goa as he has got summons from the police. He was accompanied by his wife, brother and advocates. The chaos at the airport to get a sound bite of Tejpal continued within the flight. Television journalists on board milled around an unwilling Tejpal for comments creating great deal of trouble for other passengers. At one point of time, the air crew reportedly threatened to make an emergency landing in some other destination.
A team of the Goa Police was also present on the flight. When the flight arrived at Goa around 5.15 pm, Tejpal faced some protests and black flags by BJP youth wing activists. The police whisked Tejpal out of the Dabolim Airport through a lesser obvious exit, dodging the waiting media and protesters. The accused emerged directly at the Crime Branch office near Panaji, along with his lawyers and brother Minty. Soon the TV channels started flashing “breaking news’ that Tejpal has been arrested.
But within minutes came the breather. In a major relief to Tejpal , the Goa sessions court extended interim protection to him till Saturday morning. The arguments will resume at 10 am on Saturday.
Earlier, arguing the case for Tejpal, defence lawyers accused the victim of sending the email as an afterthought, fabrication as well as accusing the Goa Police of acting at the behest of their political bosses to further a political vendetta.
“If she was so devastated and in trouble why was she behaving normally after the incident, which she claims to have happened,” Geeta luthra argued, telling the court that the victim was hanging out casually at the resort’s bar and even strolling on the beach with friends after the “incident”.
“Journalists can write well with embellishments,” she further said adding that the victim had fabricated the turn of events in her email to the then managing editor of Tehelka, Shoma Chaudhary, which she said was “far from the truth”.
The defence counsel twice named the victim’s name in court inviting the ire of District and Sessions Judge Anuja Prabhudessai. “Are you trying to malign the victimIJ Is she the accused or the victim,” the lady judge said, resulting in a defence from the lawyer.
Tejpal’s legal team also accused the police of pandering to political masters, which they claimed were victimising Tejpal.
luthra said strange procedures have been adopted in the case. “I fear that there is some political hand in it resulting in tainted investigation.” She said Tejpal stood for human rights. He has ruffled many feathers within his community and also political leaders because of which he is not getting opportunity to have any say.
luthra said the allegations were post facto --- almost 11 days after the alleged incident. “My client is a person of great integrity and reputation. For three years Tehelka was persecuted. It is easy to get him into disrepute, the credibility (has been) created over 50 years. My client was created many enemies. His sting operations had even forced the defence minister to resign,” she added.
The lawyer said Tejpal was not asked to join investigation even days after the FIR was filed. “I was waiting for intimation. I filed transit bail only after the girl was examined by the Goa Police.”
She said summons were sent through Goa Sadan. They were served in the absence of an adult male member. “Police are carrying out the media trial. If this can happen to such a person what can happen to ordinary person.”
luthra urged for private viewing of CCTV footage inside and outside the lift. “No criminality happened, no offence happened. No criminality has happened.” She contended that the entire two-day CCTV footage of the girl should be viewed to check whether she was really “hysterical and distraught”.
The defence lawyer also produced the picture of the victim with Tejpal and eminent writer Robert De Nero taken two days after the incident and said that the girl was seen comfortable.
“If you see the CCTV footage, you will exonerate me completely. At this stage we cannot say what the girl says is gospel truth,” she said.
After returning empty handed from Tejpal’s residence, the joint team of the Goa Police and the Delhi Police left for Goa Sadan and then conducted raids at several places in the Capital, including residences of Tejpal’s relatives and friends.