Tejpal case: Court completes examination of victim

A court in North Goa on Friday completed the examination of the woman, who had accused former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal of sexually assaulting her in 2013.

The victim was examined for the second consecutive day as part of the trial, which began yesterday in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Vijaya Pol.

"The examination of the victim was completed today. The cross-examination would be conducted later on," Public Prosecutor Francis Tavera told reporters after the day-long proceeding in the court located at Mapusa town.
Tavera said the date for the cross-examination of the victim would be fixed later.

The victim, a junior colleague of Tejpal, had accused him of sexually assaulting her inside a lift at a five-star hotel in Goa during the magazine's THiNK fest event in 2013.

In September last year, the district court had framed charges of rape and wrongful confinement against Tejpal.

Tejpal was charged under various IPC sections, including 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 350 (criminal force), 376 (rape) and 354- (A) and (B) (sexually coloured remarks and use of criminal force on woman).
He had earlier moved the Bombay High Court seeking a stay on framing of charges against him, but his petition was dismissed.

Tejpal was arrested by the Goa Crime Branch on November 30, 2013 after his anticipatory bail was rejected by the court. He has been out on the bail since May 2014, when the Supreme Court granted him the relief.