Journalist Tarun Tejpal Sexual Assault Case Verdict Today Latest News: Tarun Tejpal, former editor-in-chief of Tehelka magazine, has been acquitted by a Goa court in the 2013 sexual assault case.
A District and Sessions Court at Mapusa, Goa, which ordered his acquittal, had earlier reserved its verdict in the case after adjourning it thrice. The judgement in the rape case was earlier expected on April 27, but the court deferred it on May 12 and then again on May 19 and then subsequently pronounced it on May 21. On May 19, the court could not deliver the verdict saying that it was unable to work on the case as there was no electricity due to the cyclone Tauktae. The court had cited a shortage of staff on account of Covid-19 while expressing its inability to pronounce the judgement on May 12.
Tarun Tejpal was tried for allegedly sexually assaulting his colleague journalist in Goa’s five-star hotel way back in November 2013. He was arrested on November 30 the same year. However, he was released on bail. Tarun Tejpal had pleaded not guilty in the case.
The Goa Police Crime Branch had filed a 2,846-page charge sheet against Tejpal in the case two months later in February 2014.
He faced trial under IPC Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 376 (2)(f) (person in position of authority over women, committing rape) and 376(2)(k) (rape by person in position of control).
In 2017, the court charged him with rape, sexual harassment and wrongful confinement. Tejpal had challenged the decision in the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the charges framed against him. Refusing to quash the charges, the top court had directed the trial court to conclude the case within six months but it took around 7 years for the case to reach its conclusion.