Tarun Tejpal sexual assault case: Goa court to resume hearing, will frame charges on 28 September

A Goa court Thursday ordered framing of charges against senior journalist Tarun Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting and raping a former woman colleague nearly four years ago.Earlier, district and sessions judge Vijaya Pol dismissed Tejpal's application for dropping charges against him. The charges against Tejpal, 54, would be framed under IPC sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 350 (criminal force), 354 (A) and (B) (sexually coloured remarks and use of criminal force on woman) and 376 (rape), the court said, according to the prosecutor.As per India Today, charges against Tejpal might be dropped if there is no evidence. The sessions court said that it would frame charges against the editor on 28 September.[caption id="attachment_2050505" align="alignleft" width="380"]

File image of Tarun Tejpal. PTI[/caption]Zee News reported that the sessions court had previously accepted Tejpal's request to hold the rape proceedings against him in camera. The request was made under CrPC Section 327(2).The court has barred the media from covering the proceedings.Tejpal has been accused of raping a Tehelka employee in 2013, when he was the editor-in-chief, as reported by Financial Express. As per the report, "On 17 January, 2015, the Supreme Court had stayed the trial against Tejpal in connection with his alleged role in a sexual assault case for a period of three weeks."As per PTI, on 15 January, 2015, the Supreme Court acceded to the request of the Goa lower court judge seeking more time to wrap up the trial in the sexual assault case involving Tejpal as an accused.A bench comprising Chief Justice HL Dattu and Justice Arun Mishra took note of the letter from the trial judge. The Supreme Court ordered the proceedings to be concluded within a year.Tejpal was arrested in Goa after a woman colleague accused him of sexually assaulting her in a hotel in November 2013, as reported by IANS. On 1 July, 2014, the apex court bench of Justice HL Dattu and Justice SA Bobde granted bail to Tejpal.The Supreme Court also gave liberty to the Goa government to approach the apex court in case of any attempt by Tejpal to infringe the witnesses.On 18 February, 2014, Tejpal was charged with rape, sexual harassment and outraging the modesty of his colleague, as per the report.With inputs from agencies