After the acquittal, Tehelka founder Tejpal in a statement issued said that тАЬIn November 2013 I was falsely accused of sexual assault by a colleague and today trial court of additional sessions judge in Goa has acquitted me. In an awfully vitiated age where ordinary courage has become rare, I thank her for standing by the truth.тАЭ
The case had witnessed many twists and turns. On November 7 and 8, 2013, Tejpal had allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at an event organised by Tehelka at a starred hotel in North Goa. On November 22, Goa Police lodged a suo motu FIR against Tejpal.
He turned up in Goa on November 28, 2013, and was arrested on November 30 after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected. He was granted interim bail on May 19, 2014, to attend the cremation of his mother and since then, had been out of jail. In July 2014, Tejpal was granted bail.
In September 2017, a Mapusa court framed charges against Tejpal for allegedly raping a junior colleague in November 2013. Tejpal had pleaded not guilty, paving the way for a trial.
The cross-examination of the survivor began on October 21, 2019. Earlier, Tejpal had, through a criminal revision application, challenged the framing of charges by the additional district and sessions court. On December 20, 2017, the high court of Bombay at Goa had dismissed TejpalтАЩs application.
Tejpal had been charged for offences under Sections 354, (assaulting or using criminal force on a woman with an intent to outrage her modesty), 354-A (outraging modesty), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrong confinement), 376 (rape), 376(2) (f) (person in position of trust or authority over women, committing rape of such women) and 376(2)(k) (rape of a woman by a person being in position of control or dominance over the woman).
Watch Sexual harassment case: Goa court acquits journalist Tarun Tejpal
