Tarun Tejpal case: Bombay HC grants one week's time to Goa govt to submit case docs

Tarun Tejpal. File pic/AFP

The Bombay High Court in Goa on Thursday granted state advocate general Devidas Pangam one week's time to furnish copies of relevant documents, including an amended appeal memo filed against the acquittal of former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal to the latter's lawyers.

The case will be heard next on July 29.

The Court directive followed after counsel for Tejpal, Kapil Sibal told the division bench comprising of Justices MS Sonak and MS Jawalkar, that he had not been neither served a copy of the appeal filed by the state government challenging Tejpal's acquittal, copies of the relevant transcripts or annexures related to the case.

Sibal also read out some portions of the amended appeal application filed by the Goa government, which stated that a copy of the judgement was not available.

The Court also granted the state advocate general (AG) leave to make further amendments to the application of appeal filed in the Tejpal case.

"The AG said that the copies of amended appeal memo, along with all the annexures which are proposed to be relied upon, will be furnished to the learned counsel for the respondent within a period of maximum one week thereafter," the Justices said in their order.

Tejpal was charged against under sections 376 (rape), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement) 354A (sexual harassment) and 354B (criminal assault), of the Indian Penal Code, after a junior colleague accused him of rape at a five star resort in Goa in 2013.

On May 21, he was acquitted by the trial court in Goa citing "benefit of doubt", following which an appeal was filed by the state government.

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