PANAJI
The hearing in the appeal filed against the acquittal of disgraced former journalist and editor of Tehelka magazine Tarun Tejpal was adjourned once again after Tejpal’s advocate senior counsel Amit Desai regretfully informed the court via a lawyer assisting him that he was indisposed and hence would not be able to be present.
The High Court bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and M S Jawalkar, said that while they didn’t have any objection to the lawyer seeking adjournment, they wished the information could have been communicated sooner in order that the court could have arranged its hearing list differently.
The matter will now be heard on Wednesday, November 24.
The former editor of Tehelka magazine was accused of raping a junior colleague in an elevator of a five-star hotel in Goa during the THiNK festival in November 2013. The complainant alleged that Tejpal had raped her in a lift in the hotel on November 7 and attempted to assault her again on November 8. Tejpal, who refuted the charges in court, was acquitted by the fast-track court on May 21.
The judge in her judgement gave Tejpal, who is facing charges of sections 376 (rape), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (criminal assault with intent to disrobe a woman), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code, the benefit of doubt and acquitted him on account of lack of sufficient evidence.
