Court begins cross-examination of victim in Tarun Tejpal sexual assault case

An Additional District and Sessions court at Mapusa here on Monday commenced the in-camera cross-examination of the victim in a sexual assault case against Tarun Tejpal, the former editor-in-chief of Tehelka magazine.

The case will be heard by the court over a span of three days, starting today.

Tejpal, a veteran journalist, was accused of sexual assault by a female colleague in November 2013. He was arrested on November 30, 2013, and is currently out on bail.

Last week, the Bombay High Court had dismissed his plea seeking postponement of the hearing till December on the grounds that his lawyer was busy in another matter.

On September 29, 2017, the Goa court had charged him under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rape, sexual harassment, and wrongful confinement. He, however, pleaded not guilty.

Following the framing of charges, Tejpal moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the charges leveled against him. In August, the top court refused to quash the charges and directed the trial to be concluded within six months.