NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday granted interim protection from arrest to Mumbai-based television journalist in a rape case provided he joins the police investigation.

Justice Mukta Gupta issued notices and sought responses of the Delhi Police and the complainant woman on journalist Varun Hiremath's plea seeking anticipatory bail in the case.

"Petitioner be not arrested till the next date of hearing subject to him joining the investigation as and when directed," the high court said.

It listed the matter for further hearing on April 16.

Hiremath has approached the high court after his earlier anticipatory bail plea was dismissed by a trial court here in March.

The 22-year-old woman in her complaint alleged she was raped by Hiremath at a five-star hotel in Chanakyapuri on February 20.

The counsel for the 28-year-old man claimed before the court that that there had been a history of previous sexual relationship between the accused and the complainant.