The Goa High Court on Tuesday refused to stay framing of charges against former Tehelka magazine editor-in-chief, Tarun Tejpal, in a sexual assault case but asked to hold the trial till it directs otherwise.
The court will hear Tejpal before deciding on the first witness appearance at the trial. It will hear the arguments on 1 November.
On 7 September, the additional district and sessions court at Mapusa ordered that charges be framed against Tejpal.
“Final charges are 354 (A), 354 (B), 341, 342, 376(2) F, 376(2) K. Section 376 is not there. The court will frame the charge and then we will see and examine the order and will decide the next course of action,” Tarun Tejpal’s lawyer, Pramod Dubey, told ANI.
Earlier in June, the Mapusa Court restricted the media from reporting any proceedings of the rape case accused.
The court passed the order under 327 (3) barring the media from covering the proceedings until completion of the trial.
In November 2013, Tejpal was accused of sexually assaulting a female colleague in the elevator of a five-star hotel, at an event in Goa.
An FIR was later filed against him and he was asked to step down from his post.
