Goa Court Acquits Tarun Tejpal in 2013 Rape case

Lekha G

A Goa Court by Additional Sessions Judge Kshama Joshi acquitted former editor of Tehelka Tarun Tejpal in a 2013 rape case.

Expressing his gratitude to the Court and the Judge, in a statement Tejpal said, “In November 2013 I was falsely accused of sexual assault by a colleague. Today the Hon’ble Trial Court of Additional Sessions Judge Kshama Joshi, in Goa, has honorably acquitted me. In an awfully vitiated age, where ordinary courage has become rare, I thank her for standing by the truth.”

He further thanked a host of lawyers who represented him in the case specifically paying tribute to Advocate Rajeev Gomes, who passed away from Covid-19 last week.

The Case dates back to 2013, when Tejpal was accused of sexually assaulting a junior colleague in an elevator of a high-end hotel in Goa. Subsequently a FIR was registered against Tejpal by Goa Police for various offences including rape but was later released on bail in July 2014.

The trial further had begun in September 2017 but was delayed repeatedly as Tejpal had moved the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court against the allegations. Both the Supreme Court and High Court dismissed his petition seeking to quash the rape charges against him and directed the Goa Court to finish the trial within six months.

Tejpal was charged for offences under IPC Sections 341, 342, 354, 354-B, 376(2)(f) and 376(2)(k). On Friday he was acquitted of all the charges in the case.

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