Tejpal Case: Bombay HC Asks For Redaction Of References To Woman's Identity In Court Order

References to the identity of the woman in Tarun Tejpal case must be redacted, the Bombay High Court on Thursday told the Goa sessions court that acquitted the Tehelka founder in a 2013 sexual assault case. The judgment order, made available on the court's website earlier this week, is a 500-plus page document detailing observations by Judge Kshama Joshi for his acquittal on May 21.

The Bombay HC in Goa, led by Justice SC Gupte, was hearing an appeal filed by the state government that challenged Tejpal's acquittal when it brought notice to references to the female complainant in the order.

Goa had raised opposition to the judgment on May 25, four days after the sessions court pronounced its order. The HC has granted the government three days' time to amend grounds of appeal against Tejpal's acquittal, as per Live Law. The hearing is scheduled for June 2. 

The journalist was, in November 2013, accused by a female reporting colleague of raping her at a posh Goa resort during an event. Tejpal was arrested that same month, with the HC granting him bail in 2014. He was out until the day of judgment in his case. A timeline of events here.

Scrutiny Over Court Order's Statements About Woman In Tarun Tejpal Case Order

"The judgement, which is yet to be uploaded on the court’s website and made public, also in various paragraphs discloses the identity of the victim woman. This is a criminal offence," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for the Goa government said in court. He further argued the judgment comprises personal details of the woman and her immediate family members.

The 500-page order document released by the court Tuesday has come under abject scrutiny and criticism by women on the internet, fellow journalists, and women's rights activists. Simultaneous to Tejpal's acquittal being a big blow to India's #MeToo movement, women have raised objections against the Goa court's treatment of the woman complainant in the case.

In particular, the outcry has been fuelled by the court's observation that the woman “did not demonstrate any kind of normative behaviour on her own part that a victim of sexual assault might plausibly show.” Full story here.