Goa court to pronounce verdict in Tarun Tejpal case on May 19

A sessions court in Goa onWednesday said it will pronounce the verdict in the TarunTejpal case on May 19.

The former Tehelka editor-in-chief is accused ofsexually assaulting a female colleague inside the elevator ofa luxury hotel in Goa in 2013.

The additional district court was to pronounce theverdict on April 27 but judge Kshama Joshi had adjourned theverdict to May 12.

The court on Wednesday said the latest adjournment wasdue to lack of staff due to the coronavirus pandemic. Thecourt is working with only 15 per cent staff, it added.

The Goa police registered an FIR against Tejpal inNovember 2013 following which he was arrested.

He has been out on bail since May 2014.

The Goa crime branch had filed a charge sheet againstTejpal.

He faced trial under IPC sections 341 (wrongfulrestraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault orcriminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354-A (sexualharassment), 354-B (assault or use of criminal force to womanwith intent to disrobe), 376(2)(f) (person in position ofauthority over women, committing rape) and 376(2)k) (rape byperson in position of control).

He had earlier moved the Bombay High Court, seeking astay on the framing of charges against him, but his petitionwas dismissed.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)