PANJM: Tehelka magazine founder Tarun Tejpal’s plea to defer the trial in a rape charge against him has been dismissed by the High Court of Bombay at Goa.
The order clearly means that District and Sessions Court will resume the trial as scheduled from October 21 to 23.
Tejpal is facing prosecution for the offence punishable under Sections 354(A), 376, 376 2(K) of the Indian Penal Code. He had challenged the order dated October 7, 2019 scheduling the examination of the victim on the three days.
In the criminal writ petition before the Single Bench, Tejpal had pleaded the Sessions trial to be adjourned to December 2, to be carried on day-to-day basis.
During the hearing, Advocate Surendra Desai, appearing for Tejpal submitted that the latter’s advocate from Pune Shrikant Shivade is busy with some important direction cases in Mumbai and Pune, therefore, he is unable to attend the Sessions Court in the month of October and November.
Desai also said that Shivade has been advised to undergo surgery and hence he has expressed that he does not want to disrupt the programme set for the trial of the Sessions Case particularly when the witness is also attending. He also submitted that even if some other advocate is engaged he would take some time to prepare himself and therefore the recording of evidence be postponed.
