Tarun Tejpal charged with raping junior colleague

A Goa court on Thursday charged former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal with rape, sexual harassment and outraging the modesty of a woman.

The court also asked for a status report in the next hearing which is scheduled for 21 November.

Public Prosecutor, Fransisco Tavora said that charges against Tejpal have been farmed under section 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-B (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe), 341 and 342 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 376 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Tavora also informed "Tejpal has pleaded not guilty."

The trail in this case will begin from 21 November.

Earlier on 26 September, 54-year-old Tejpal couldn't get any relief from the Bombay High Court at Goa.

The High Court refused to stay the process of framing of charges against Tejpal at a lower court in Mapusa in North Goa.

Justice Prithviraj Chavan refused to stay the process of framing of charges against Tejpal after hearing the petition and also directed that examination of witnesses at the lower court could only begin, after its consent.

This is the first case in recent times in which the probe has relied on "position of trust" as a crucial aspect in an allegation of rape.

Tejpal is indicted of sexually assaulting a junior woman colleague inside a lift at Hotel Grand Hyatt during an event organised by the Tehelka magazine in Goa in November.

-ANI