All the tricks deployed by the womanizing controversial Editor Tarun Tejpal to sabotage the trial in rape case have been rebuffed. The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday dismissed Tehelka magazine’s founder Tarun Tejpal seeking quashing of charges framed against him in a sexual assault case filed by a former woman colleague. The bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra asked Goa’s lower court to complete the trial preferably within six months in the case against Tejpal. Soon after the SC direction, North Goa district judge Vijaya Pol fixed September 23 to start the trial.
Tejpal was caught for sexually assaulting a young lady journalist in a hotel lift in Goa in November 2013. Two weeks back, during the arguments phase on his claims of innocence, the apex court Judges asked Tejpal that if he had not committed a crime, then why he apologized to the victim girl? The young girl was a friend of Tejpal’s daughter and he knew her from her childhood SC. Tejpal was a family friend.
The trial court in Mapusa town of Goa had framed charges against Tejpal under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including alleged sexual harassment and provisions related to rape.
For the past six years, Tejpal and his friendly journalists were playing all kinds of dirty tricks to collapse the case and even tried to patch up / buy the victim and witnesses, who were also journalists. PGurus has reported the diabolical methods of Tejpal and friends to buy the victim and her witnesses by offering them scholarships and good jobs[1].
Tejpal was arrested on November 30, 2013, by the crime branch after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the court. He has been out on bail since May 2014, citing his mother’s death. Though earlier Supreme Court in May 2015, ordered to finish the trail within a year, Tejpal was playing all sorts of dubious games to delay the process. Many petitions were filed by him for silly reasons complaining this like seeking a copy of technical evidence. He had engaged a battery of highflying lawyers of Mumbai and Delhi to sabotage the trial, where he is expected to be convicted for seven years.
The Goa police, while opposing Tejpal’s plea seeking quashing of charges framed against him, had told the court that there was “ample material” warranting a trial in the case. Tejpal had moved the apex court, challenging the Bombay High Court’s December 20, 2017, order dismissing his plea seeking quashing of charges. Earlier, he had claimed that there were inconsistencies in the video recordings and the statements of the victim recorded under section 164 of Cr PC before the magistrate.
The trial court in Mapusa town of Goa had framed charges against Tejpal under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including alleged sexual harassment and provisions related to rape. Tejpal is expected to be convicted for a minimum period of seven years, if found guilty.
References:
[1] Tarun Tejpal must stand trial in sexual assault case: Goa Police to SC – Aug 7, 2019, PGurus.com
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