Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has said that ‘ample time’ has been granted to senior journalist Tarun Tejpal to reply on the appeal filed by the State government against his recent acquittal in the November 2013 rape case.
When the matter came up for hearing on Thursday, Advocate Amit Desai sought adjournment citing that he was pitched in for the case on the same day as the counsel, originally appearing for the case, was unable to attend due to a death in her family.
Desai also expressed his inability to represent in absence of case details.
The Division Bench of Justice M S Sonak and Justice M S Jawalkar said that ample time has been given to the respondent. “Next time you come prepared,” the Bench said adjourning the matter to August 9.
The State government in its appeal before the High Court against Tejpal’s acquittal has said that it was a fit case for retrial, stating Trial Court’s lack of understanding of a victim’s post-trauma behaviour and censuring of her character.
The appeal was also amended to bring on record the judgment and to include further grounds against the acquittal of Tejpal.
On May 21, Sessions Judge Kshama Joshi acquitted Tejpal in the case where he was accused of sexually assaulting his then woman colleague in a lift of a five-star hotel in Goa in November 2013 when they were attending an event.
The trial court in its judgment questioned the woman’s conduct, noting she did not exhibit any kind of “normative behaviour” such as trauma and shock which a victim of sexual assault might plausibly show.
The High Court observed that the trial court’s observation was like a manual for rape victims as it goes into how a victim should respond in such cases. The Bench also observed that there is a prima facie case made out against Tejpal in the appeal; and asked for all proceedings records.
