Panjim:
Tarun Tejpal, the founder of Tehelka, who has been accused of rape, is likely to be arrested soon after a court in Goa rejected his anticipatory bail plea. Mr Tejpal is currently in the Goa crime branch office and the police will arrest him once they get a certified copy of the court order refusing his bail plea.
"We will arrest Tarun Tejpal. We will follow all procedures," Goa's Director General of Police told NDTV.
Judge Anuja Prabhudesai, who was hearing the bail plea, has allowed Mr Tejpal to take the assistance of his lawyer briefly once a day during interrogation after he is taken into custody. He will also be allowed to have home-cooked food.
Earlier in the day, Mr Tejpal, 50, had offered to submit his passport in court to avoid arrest. He was present in court, along with his wife and daughter.
"Mr Tejpal is ready to stay in Goa till the time it was required by the investigating agency," his lawyer had said.
The public prosecutor however argued that prima facie a case is established against the Tehelka founder and the police want his "custodial interrogation." The prosecutor said Mr Tejpal's "immaculate reputation had gone for a toss and being in custody will not dent it any further."
The prosecution also said the CCTV footage from the hotel confirmed sexual assault and that the defence had 'added salt to injury by questioning the integrity of the girl'. They said the woman journalist has been consistent with her version, but Mr Tejpal has been "changing colours like a chameleon."
Mr Tejpal is accused of raping the reporter at an annual Tehelka conference in Goa earlier this month. She did not press charges, but detailed her allegations against him to her boss at Tehelka, Shoma Chaudhary, in an email that was leaked.
The Goa Police used that email to commence its investigation against Mr Tejpal. Ms Chaudhary resigned as Tehelka's Managing Editor on Thursday.