Tejpal's interim bail extended till 10 a.m. Saturday

Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal, accused in a sexual assult case, got a brief breather Friday after a court here extended his interim bail to 10 a.m. on Saturday, even as defence lawyers accused the victim of fabrication and vested interests and the police of furthering a political vendetta.

District and Sessions Judge Anuja Prabhudessai also came down heavily on Tejpal's counsel for naming the victim in open court.

Adjourning the anticipatory bail hearing until 10 a.m. on Saturday, the judge also extended the interim bail period because both the prosecution and defence lawyers were yet to complete their arguments despite a one-and-a-half hour session Friday afternoon.

Earlier defence counsel Geeta Luthra told the court that the new anti-rape law was draconian and that the first email sent by the victim to Shoma Chaudhury, then the magazine's managing editor, complaining of sexual assault was an "afterthought" and done with "vested interests".

Luthra also accused the victim of fabricating the complaint, which "was far from the truth".

"Journalists can write well with embellishments," the defence argued, claiming that the victim was hanging out at the resort's bar and even strolling on the beach with friends after the incident, which occurred earlier this monh during the magazine Thinkfest literary festival.

"If she was so devastated and in trouble, why was she behaving normally after the incident that she claims happened," Luthra asked.

During the proceedings, the judge lambasted the defence counsel for reading out the name of the accused from the FIR.

"Are you trying to malign the victim? Is she the accused or the victim," the judge asked, following which Luthra apologised.

The defence also accused the police of pandering to political masters, which they claimed were victimizing Tejpal.

"The BJP is responsible for this entire conspiracy. The police here are subservient to their political masters," Luthra claimed.