On Wednesday, the Goa bench of the Bombay HC will virtually hear the State Govt's appeal against the acquittal of journalist Tarun Tejpal in a 2013 sexual assault case. The matter was earlier adjourned by the HC on Sept 20, when it said that a facility for virtual hearing will be set up by Oct 27, when the matter is to be heard. The development comes as Tejpal opposed the Goa Govt's plea challenging his acquittal in the case, & also requested an ‘in-camera’ hearing to keep the court proceedings private.
Tejpal, the Ex-Editor-in-Chief of Tehelka magazine, was in 2013 accused of sexually assaulting a female colleague at an event. On May 21 earlier this year, a Sessions Court presided over by Justice Kshama Joshi acquitted him of all charges. However, the Goa Govt filed a plea against the acquittal in the HC.
Last month, Tejpal made a submission before the High Court of Bombay, seeking ‘in-camera’ proceedings of the Goa Govt's plea challenging his acquittal in the case, & sought its dismissal while raising preliminary objections on its maintainability. However, the Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, representing the Goa Govt, rejected Tejpal's requests to keep the proceedings private, saying the “country has the right to know how the institution dealt with the girl (victim).”
Solicitor General Mehta will be participating in the Court proceedings from Delhi today, owing to the virtual nature of the hearing. The matter was taken up physically at the court for the first time on August 31, in the wake of the Goa Govt relaxing several COVID-19-related curbs. Thereafter, a request was pending before the chief justice for a hybrid (physical plus virtual) hearing into the matter, which was eventually granted.
A former colleague of Tejpal had accused him of sexually assaulting her inside the lift of a 5-star hotel in Goa in Nov 2013, where both of them were attending an event. The matter received intense public attention & media scrutiny, especially owing to the fact that Tejpal & his magazine had previously been active in highlighting the issue of sexual violence in India through investigative journalism & sting operations. Tejpal later admitted “misconduct” & stepped down as the editor of the Tehelka magazine for six months. However, a Goa trial Court acquitted him of all charges earlier this year, noting substantial investigative bias & lacunae by the investigating officer in the case, including the destruction of key evidence that would “conclusively corroborate the defense of the accused.”
SOURCE ; latestlaws.com/
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