Team Herald
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the trial court of the Additional Sessions Judge, Mapusa, not to hold hearing of former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal (55) in the alleged rape case on October 15 but adjourn it beyond October 30.
The Bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan passed the order on a mentioning by senior Advocate Kapil Sibal that Tejpal’s appeal in the matter is listed before the Apex Court on October 30.
In his appeal, Tejpal has challenged the order of the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court, rejecting his revision application to drop framing of charges by the trial court and discharge him. He is being tried for an alleged sexually assaulting on a young colleague in the elevator of a 5-star hotel in Goa, on November 7, 2013, during an event organised by the magazine. His bail applications were rejected by both the Sessions and High Court; however, the Supreme Court granted him bail.
In its brief order, the Bench said: “We permit the petitioner to request the trial court for an adjournment beyond October 30, 2018. Once such a request is made, the trial court shall adjourn the matter beyond 30.10.2018.”
While Sibal was assisted by three junior lawyers, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta, appeared on behalf of the Goa government, with a battery of half a dozen lawyers — Pratap Venugopal, Salvador S Rebello, Anuj Sarma, Ms Niharika, Ms Remya Raj and advocate on record K J John.
