Tarun Tejpal Sexual Abuse Case Hearing to Start Today in Goa Court

The hearing for the sexual abuse case against Tehelka's Tarun Tejpal is set to begin on Thursday in a Goa Court. The hearing had to go on between February 26 and March 1 but since Tejpal told the court that he had changed his lawyer, the court had to postpone the hearing.

Last year on September 28, the Mapusa Trial Court of Goa had charged Tejpal with rape, sexual harassment and outraging the modesty of a woman.

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The court had booked him under section 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-B (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe), 341 and 342 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 376 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), said Public Prosecutor Fransisco Tavora.

“Tejpal has pleaded not guilty,” Tavora had informed.

In November 2013, a woman journalist who worked with Tejpal had alleged that he molested her in an elevator of a five-star hotel when they had gone for an event organised by Tehelka in Goa.

The Goa High Court had rejected the plea to stay the process of framing charges against Tejpal at a lower court in Mapusa in North Goa.

This is a unique case in recent times as the investigation in it has relied upon "position of trust" as a crucial aspect in an allegation of rape, reported ANI.

Earlier on December 6, 2017 the Supreme Court had instructed the Bombay High Court to perform a trial and examination of the witnesses related to the case. It had also asked the state HC to determine Tarun Tejpal's plea seeking discharge.

In November 2013, a woman journalist who worked with Tejpal had alleged that he molested her in an elevator of a five-star hotel when they had gone for an event organised by Tehelka in Goa.

The woman had complained to her seniors at the magazine about the incident. This led to the leaking of email conversations between her, Mr Tejpal and the magazine's then Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhary in the media and based on that, the police started an investigation.

A little later to that, Tejpal stepped down as Tehelka Editor and the Goa police arrested him on November 30, 2013.

Picture credit- Jagran Post

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