PANAJI / MAPUSA: District and Sessions Court, Mapusa on Thursday framed charges against former editor-in-chief of Tehelka Tarun Tejpal for the offences of wrongful restraint, wrongful confinement, sexual harassment and rape in the 2013 case of sexual assault and rape of a former female colleague.
The trial in the four year-old matter is scheduled to begin on the afternoon of November 21.
Tejpal, who has been accused of raping the junior female colleague in a lift at a five-star hotel at Bambolim, was present before the court and has pleaded not guilty.
Speaking to the media, Public Prosecutor Francisco Tavora confirmed that Additional District and Sessions Judge Vijaya Pol has framed charges against Tejpal under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (a) (sexual harassment), 354(b) (criminal assault with intent to disrobe), and 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code.
Tejpal's lawyer Rajeev Gomes made a fervent appeal before the trial court, requesting it not to go ahead with the framing of charges on the backdrop of the application pending before the High Court of Bombay at Goa. However, the court denied the plea.
Tejpal had approached the HC challenging the trial court's move to frame charges. In its interim order on the criminal revision application, HC has asked the trial court to defer the examination of the first witness in the trial while refusing to pass any interim directions to stay the framing of charges.
As the HC is scheduled to hear the application on November 1, defence counsel Gomes requested the trial court to defer the framing of charges till the disposal of the application by the HC.
Turning the request down, Additional Sessions Judge Pol pointed out that it would be unwise to stay the framing of charges on her own volition in the absence of any HC orders to that effect. Judge Pol also sought to remind the defence of the Supreme Court directions to expedite the trial.
Explaining his reasons for making such a request before the trial court, Adv Gomes stated, "The trial of this case is not going to start immediately as the trial court will seek status of the application before the HC. We are hopeful and confident that we will get discharge from the HC. We know that there is no case with the prosecution and that we will get relief. The trial would be of no substance until the disposal of the HC petition."
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FAST REWIND
* Tarun Tejpal had been accused by a female scribe in November 2013 of sexual assault during an event in Goa
* She alleged Tejpal had assaulted her inside an elevator of a five-star hotel during the ThinkFest conference
* Leaked emails between her and seniors in the Tehelka were published by media after she complained to them
* Taking suo moto cognisance of the media reports, Goa police began investigation, arrest Tejpal on November 30, 2013
* Tarun Tejpal was later jailed for six months in Goa before the Supreme Court granted him bail in July 2014
