MAPUSA
Stating that the prosecution has failed to make a case against his client Tarun Tejpal, defence lawyer Rajeev Gomes on Saturday said the hotel CCTV footage demolishes the whole case.
“There is evidence on record of CCTV footage which totally demolishes the case. There is nothing in this case. The falsity of the case in the prosecution evidence itself,” Gomes said.
The defence lawyer was speaking to the journalists outside the trial court after presenting his final arguments in the alleged rape case against Tehelka founder-editor, Tarun Tejpal.
He said that there were hundreds of things which the investigation officer failed to do and it was pointed out in written and oral arguments before the court on Saturday.
“Empirical evidence which could be collected has not been done. For example, the emergency button which was according to them used to stop the lift to commit the offence was never checked by the investigation officer,” he said.
“I cannot say anything more now. There is so much of material. We will wait for the judgement,” he added.
The hearing in the alleged sexual assault case is in the final stage and the trial court is in the process of hearing the final arguments of both the prosecution and the defence.
The prosecution is expected to give its rejoinder on the defence arguments on Monday.
The proceedings in the rape trial were being conducted in-camera and the media has been barred from entering the court premises.
It may be recalled, a female colleague had accused Tehelka founder editor, Tarun Tejpal of raping her in the elevator of a starred hotel in Goa where the magazine was hosting a conclave in November 2013.
Goa Police had taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and lodged an FIR against Tejpal on November 22, 2013.
He was subsequently chargesheeted under Sections 376 (rape), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement) 354A (sexual harassment) and 354B (criminal assault), of the Indian Penal Code.
Tejpal was arrested and sent to custody where he remained nearly for a year before being released on bail.
The Supreme Court had fixed the deadline for concluding of the trial to March 31, 2021.
