Panaji (Goa): The fate of rape undertrial Tarun Tejpal seeking to dismiss all charges against him has been sealed by the Goa bench of Bombay High Court. The former editor-in-chief of the once most popular investigative magazine Tehelka had filed a petition in the high court pleading dismissing charges of rape, sexual harassment, outraging modesty and other sections imposed by the Goa Police’s Crime Branch.
When his petition came up for hearing today, advocates Aman Lekhi and Pramodkumar Dubey submitted to Judge Nutan Sardesai the CCTV footage procured from outside the lift of a hotel contending that victim’s narration that she was subjected to the crime is false. “CCTV footage shows that the petitioner and prosecutrix (victim) were out of the lift walking leisurely not indicating any sign of distress or outrage,” Lekhi argued.
Tejpal has been charged by North Additional District & Sessions Court in Mapusa under relevant sections of the IPC. Lekhi said that the charges framed by the lower court are without considering the material evidence on record which shows that the victim was neither restrained nor confined or even her modesty was not outraged by Tejpal.
Whereas Public Prosecutor Saresh Lotlikar said that the trial court has come to a conclusion that primary case has been made out as the charges are already framed and accused should the trial.
Tejpal is undergoing trial for allegedly sexually assaulting his then junior female colleague in the elevator of a hotel during ThinkFest event in November 2013. After the incident, the woman had complained to her seniors at Tehelka about the case that led to a series of emails between her, Tejpal and Tehelka’s then managing editor Shoma Chaudhary. The email communications were leaked followed by Goa police taking suo-motu cognizance by registering an offense. Tejpal was subsequently arrested and lodged at Vasco’s Sada sub jail where he spent nearly 80 days before being granted bail.
The Crime Branch had booked him under sections 354-A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 376 (rape), 376(2)(k) (rape of a woman by a person being in position of control or dominance over the woman) by crime branch. The probe later added sections 341 and 342 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 376 (2) (f) (person in position of trust or authority over women, committing rape of such women) and 376 C IPC (sexual intercourse by person in authority) and Section 354 (outraging modesty) of IPC
