The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing in the sexual harassment case against Tarun Tejpal to October 15.
New Delhi:
The Supreme Court adjourned the Oct. 15 hearing in the sexual harassment case against former Tehelka magazine editor Tarun Tejpal on Monday after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the victim suffered from cancer lung.
A bench of three judges of the highest court, led by Judge Ashok Bhushan, settled the case for a rehearing on October 15 after Mr Mehta, appearing for Goa Police, said the victim was in pain. ‘lung cancer.
The bench also allowed Tejpal, accused in a sexual assault case in 2013, more time to file his response to a plea filed by the Goa police, requesting an extension of the time limit for completing the trial against him.
In August last year, the higher court refused to dismiss charges made by a Goa Magistrate’s Court against Tejpal for allegedly sexually assaulting his former junior colleague in 2013.
Claiming the innocence of the case, Vikas Singh, a seasoned lawyer and former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) appearing for Tarun Tejpal, argued that the court should consider the charges against him and requested that the charges against him be quashed in the case.
Tarun Tejpal, former editor of Tehelka magazine and veteran journalist, was charged with sexual assault by a colleague in November 2013. He was arrested on November 30, 2013 and is currently on bail.
On September 29, 2017, a trial court in Goa laid the rape charge against Tejpal in an alleged case of rape and sexual harassment.
The court charged him under sections 376 (2) (rape), 354 A (sexual harassment) and 342 (forcible confinement). But Tejpal claimed his innocence and pleaded not guilty.
Tejpal then seized the high court to request the dismissal of the charges against him, on which the Supreme Court had, on August 6, reserved its order, and later refused to dismiss the charges.
