Panaji: A sessions court in Goa on Thursday framed charges against journalist and founder editor of Tehelka magazine Tarun Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting and raping a former woman colleague back in 2013. The trial in the case will begin from November 21.
The sessions court has formally framed charges against him under Sections 376 (rape), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement) and Section 354 (b) (criminal assault with intent to disrobe) of the Indian Penal Code.
Tejpal pleaded not guilty before the Mapusa court and urged to defer the framing of the charges by a month. But the court not only rejected his petition but also asked him to personally appear before it during the hearings.
A woman journalist who worked with Tarun Tejpal in Tehelka had in November 2013 accused the magazine's founder-editor of sexually assaulting her during an event in Goa. The young woman said Tejpal, 50, had assaulted her inside an elevator of a five-star hotel during the ThinkFest conference organised by the magazine.
The woman journalist was in-charge of chaperoning the Hollywood actor, who was one of the star guests at the conference.
In her complaint to police, the woman said Tejpal used the ruse of visiting de Niro's suite to sexually assault her Nov 7 and 8 in the elevator of a five-star hotel that was hosting the event.