DROP LINES THAT GIVE AWAY TEJPAL COMPLAINANT’S IDENTITY, SAYS HC

NEW DELHI: The Bombay high court at Goa on Thursday directed sessions judge Kshama Joshi to redact portions of her judgement that could reveal the identity of a woman who accused journalist Tarun Tejpal of rape and sexual assault in 2013.

Last week, Joshi acquitted Tejpal in the case saying the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt, while suggesting that the woman did not prove a “sterling witness”.

A vacation bench of justice SC Gupte issued the redaction order while hearing the Goa government’s urgent appeal against the acquittal. It said the judgment contains a reference to the victim’s husband, her email ID, and the name of her mother.

The Bombay high court at Goa on Thursday directed sessions judge Kshama Joshi to redact portions of her judgement that could reveal the identity of a woman who accused journalist Tarun Tejpal of rape and sexual assault in 2013. Last week, Joshi acquitted Tejpal in the case saying the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt, while suggesting that the woman did not prove a “sterling witness”, and pulling up the Goa Police for trying to suppress crucial pieces of evidence.

A vacation bench of justice SC Gupte issued the redaction order while hearing the Goa government’s urgent appeal against the acquittal. The high court also gave the government three days to put the order on record, and amend the grounds of appeal.

“[Solicitor General] Tushar] Mehta (who appeared for Goa) pointed out the issues in the judgement. The high court has agreed and directed the sessions judge to make some alterations before the judgement is uploaded,” said Pravin Faldesai, a government advocate.

“It appears from the impugned judgment of the learned Sessions Judge, available to this court, but which, the court is informed, is not yet uploaded on the trial court website, that it contains a reference to the victim’s husband and also her email ID,” the bench said.

It added that a reference to the name of the mother of the woman was also there in the order. “In the interest of protecting the identity of the victim of an offence, such as the one with which we are concerned in the present case, it is appropriate to have the above references... redacted,” it said.

The matter will be next heard on June 2.

Tejpal faced allegations of rape and sexual assault by a former colleague in the elevator of a five-star hotel during an event eight years ago.