Verdict in Tarun Tejpal rape case on April 27

Panaji, Mar 24: A sessions court in Goa will on April 27 pronounce its verdict in the 2013 rape case registered against Tarun Tejpal, former Editor-in-Chief of Tehelka magazine, a police officer said on Wednesday.

Tejpal is accused of raping his journalist colleague inside an elevator of a five-star hotel in Goa in 2013 during an event organised by the news magazine.

Additional district and sessions court judge Kshama Joshi heard final arguments in the Tejpal case on March 8 and fixed the matter for judgment to a later date.

Investigating Officer Sunita Sawant told PTI that the court fixed the date of verdict on April 27.

Tejpal faces charges under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 376 (2)(f) (person in position of authority over women, committing rape) and 376(2)(k) (rape by person in position of control) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The arguments in the matter were held in-camera by the North Goa district and sessions court in Mapusa town during which 71 prosecution witnesses and five defence witnesses were examined.

The Goa crime branch had filed a 2,846 pages chargesheet against Tejpal in February, 2014.

After the case was booked against him, Tejpal denied the allegations saying they were part of a "political vendetta" by the BJP government in Goa.