Tejpal gets bail to visit ailing mother

Founder-editor of Tehelka magazine, Tarun Tejpal, lodged in jail for allegedly raping a woman colleague, was on Friday granted permission by a court here to meet his ailing mother, who is admitted in a hospital at Mapusa town.

Additional district and sessions court allowed Tejpal to meet his mother, who is suffering from brain tumour and has been admitted in the ICU of a hospital in Mapusa, about 50 kms from Sada sub jail, where he is currently lodged.

Tejpal’s lawyer Swapnil Nachinolkar said the jail escort cell has been ordered to take the 50-year-old journalist to his mother.

The application moved by Tejpal before the court had on Thursday said his mother, Shankuntala Tejpal, has been suffering from brain tumour and is in her last stages of life. Mr Nachinolkar said that Tejpal is likely to be escorted to the hospital on Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, the order on the bail petition filed by Tejpal before the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court would also be pronounced later on Friday.