The Mapusa District and Sessions Court in Goa on Wednesday adjourned the verdict in the 2013 sexual harassment case against journalist Tarun Tejpal to May 21 because of power outage in the State following cyclone Tauktae.
On May 12, the court postponed the ruling to May 19 due to shortage of staff owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also read: Tarun Tejpal case - a timeline
Advocate Shrikant Shivade representing Mr. Tejpal told The Hindu , “There is no electricity due to the cyclone for two days and the hearing is adjourned to May 21.”
Mr. Tejpal is accused of raping his colleague in the elevator of a five-star hotel. He was arrested on November 30, 2013 by the Goa Crime Branch and was granted bail on July 1, 2014 by the Supreme Court.
In February 2014, the Goa Crime Branch filed a 2,846-page chargesheet against Mr. Tejpal.
On September 29, 2017, the court framed charges under with Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354 A (sexual harassment), 354 B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 376 (2)(f) (person in position of authority over women, committing rape) and 376 (2)(k) (rape by person in position of control) of the Indian Penal Code against him.
The trial began in September 2017 and however kept getting delayed because Mr. Tejpal moved the High Court and the Supreme Court to challenge the charges framed against him and instead sought a discharge in the case.
In August 2019, the Supreme Court declined his plea and ordered that the trial be held in camera and be completed in six months.
