Tejpal’s bail hearing begins in camera

The hearing of the bail application of Tehelka co-founder Tarun Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting a journalist colleague began in camera on Tuesday morning at the Bombay High Court in Goa.

As the hearing began, prosecution lawyer Sarat Lotlikar intervened and told the Court that in the lower court on the request of the respondent, merely the law part of the arguments of Mr. Tejpal's bail application hearing was held in open court while the arguments pertaining to material facts was held in camera .

Mr. Tejpal's lawyer Amit Desai admitted that they had in fact filed an application with the lower Court to hear the bail application "in camera'" considering the sensitive nature of some of submissions that would come up.

However, after rejecting the application, the judge had herself held partial hearing

in camera after she came across some of the material and facts, which she did not find it appropriate to be heard in open court.

Justice U.V. Bakre upheld the request for holding the hearing in camera and asked media-persons and all others not-related with the case to leave the courtroom. Only close family members of the accused and Mr. Tejpal himself were allowed to be in the courtroom.

Mr. Tejpal has been facing charges of rape and sexual assault on his junior journalist colleague during a literary festival held in north Goa hotel in November last year. He was arrested by Goa police on November 30 and is presently in judicial custody.