Journalist Tarun Tejpal Seeks In-Camera Hearing At Supreme Court In Rape Case

Journalist Tarun Tejpal moved to Supreme Court on January 20 asking for an in-camera hearing of the rape case. His plea at the Bombay High Court was earlier rejected, Tejpal had argued that the identity of the accused is just as important to protect in his case.

According to reports, Tejpal's plea will be heard by the apex court on January 21 by a bench headed by Justice Nageswara Rao and Justice BR Gavai.

The Bombay High Court had rejected Tejpal's plea seeking an in-camera hearing on November 24 last year. The plea was in regards to a case filed against his acquittal in the 2013 rape case. Tejpal had argued in his plea that his identity, who is an accused in the case, is just as important to protect like that of the survivor.

Tejpal formerly worked as the editor-in-chief of Tehelka magazine and was accused of sexual assault by his female colleague. The survivor had alleged that Tejpal allegedly tried to sexually assault her in the lift of a hotel in Goa in November 2013.

Suggested Reading: Tarun Tejpal Court Order: How Exactly Should A Sexual Assault Survivor Behave?

A sessions court in Goa acquitted him in the case in May 2021 which sparked much outrage from all quarters. The judge while giving the verdict had commented heavily on the behaviour of the survivor in the case and said that the investigation in the case were faulty hence Tejpal was granted benefit of the doubt. What really raised concerns among the masses was the judge's comment that the survivor did not behave like one.

Fter being acquitted, Tejpal thanked the court for " rigorous, impartial and fair trail" in the case said that the past seven and half years have been traumatic for his family. He claimed that his family dealth with the "catastrophic fallout of the false allegations" levelled at him. The sessions court verdict was then challenged by the Goa government at the Goa bench of Bombay High Court. The state government had said that the court's judgement was "coloured by prejudice and patriarchy".