A sessions court in Goa has delayed its judgement in the sexual assault case against former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal on Wednesday. The Court of the Additional Sessions Judge at Mapusa adjourned the matter on the rape case till May 21.
"The reason (for the adjournment) is that there was no electricity for the last 2-3 days and she (judge) could not work on it. So she requires time. She has fixed the matter for May 21, the final order will be pronounced,” said Advocate Suhas Velip, representing Tarun Tejpal.
The former journalist who was the Editor-in-chief of Tehelka magazine was accused of sexual assault by her colleague in an elevator of a five-star hotel during his magazine’s event in North Goa in November 2013. In the same year, he was arrested on November 30.
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He was later released on bail in May 2014 and had denied the allegations.
Earlier, the verdict was supposed to come on April 27, but it was adjourned to May 12, however, on May 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic, there was a lack of staff members in the court and the case was further suspended to May 19.
On September 29, 2017, the court had charged Tejpal with various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including rape, sexual harassment, and wrongful confinement.
Tejpal, however, had pleaded not guilty and moved to the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the charges framed against him.
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The top court in August had dismissed the charges and ordered the trials within six months.