Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Saturday admitted appeal filed by the State government challenging the acquittal of former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal by the trial court in alleged sexual assault case.
The High Court directed Tejpal to appear before the trial court within next 15 days from the date of the order to seek fresh bail.
The Division Bench comprising Justice Mahesh S Sonak and Justice R N Laddha dismissed the objections raised by Tejpal to the maintainability of the criminal miscellaneous application (Main) filed by the CID-Crime Branch. Tejpal had challenged the maintainability of the appeal on the ground that the State had not taken proper sanction.
But the High Court observed that the appellant had filed a composite application seeking leave to appeal under Section 378 (3) of CrPC and appeal against the impugned judgment and order of the trial court. It rejected the preliminary objections raised by the respondent regarding the maintainability of the application and allowed the appeal stating the High Court was satisfied that a prima facie case has been made out and arguable points have been raised in the matter by the applicant.
Admitting the appeal, the High Court directed the Registry to enter the composite application in the register of appeals and number the same accordingly.
The Additional Sessions Court, Mapusa by an order dated May 21, 2021 had acquitted Tejpal from the charges of sexually assaulting his colleague in a starred hotel at Bambolim in November 2013.
