Tejpal permitted to meet ailing mother

A local court on Wednesday allowed Tehelka founder editor Tarun Tejpal, accused of raping his woman colleague, to meet his ailing mother on Thursday.

Fast track court judge Vijaya Pol, while allowing the application filed by Mr. Tejpal, put several conditions which he will have to abide to meet his mother at his Moira village residence in North Goa.

Earlier, the court had permitted him to meet her on March 13.

Mr. Tejpal, 50, had claimed that his mother is suffering from brain tumour and is in the last stage of her life and had sought permission to meet her.

Allowing Mr. Tejpal to meet his mother for one hour on Thursday, the court said if he wants to meet her again, he needs to file fresh application which would be considered on merits.

While granting permission to Mr. Tejpal, the court said that the investigating officer representative or the IO should be allowed to be present at the venue and during the period of the visit.

“The escort party should ensure that solemnity of the occasion should not be diluted by the visit being reduced to a social meeting with friends and relatives under the garb of visiting the ailing mother,” the order says.

“The accused be directed to maintain proper decorum and discipline so that the members of the escort party are not inconvenienced,” it mentioned, adding that “the accused should not be allowed to address media or anybody on his behalf.”

Mr. Tejpal was arrested on November 30 last year for allegedly raping a junior woman colleague during an event in Goa. He has since been lodged in Sada sub jail in Vasco town, about 40 kms from Panaji.