Tarun Tejpal case: SC extends trial completion deadline to March 31

Extending the deadline for the completion of the trial in the sexual assault case against journalist Tarun Tejpal to March 31 2021 the Supreme Court on Tuesday said that if he were to agree to a trial through videoconference it would be over within two monthsWhile the complainant woman had sought her cross examination via videoconference amid the COVID19 pandemic Tejpal had strongly objected to itA bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan noted that the judge conducting the trial had cited reasonable ground for the extension of the trial in the matter The bench said that 31 witnesses were yet to be examined in the matterExtending the deadline for the completion of the trial in the sexual assault case against journalist TarunTejpal to March 31 2021 the SupremeCourt on Tuesday said that if he were to agree to a trial through videoconference it would be over within two months pictwittercomk2TTlUTxZMmdash IANS Tweets ians_india October 27 2020Solicitor General Tushar Mehta representing the Goa government seconded the court observations in the matter Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal insisted that the trial should not be extendedThe bench told Sibal You are not agreeable to a trial through videoconference otherwise it will be over within two monthsThe bench said that virtual hearing in the case had also been requested to by the state government Mehta said that the request for virtual hearing had been madeAfter a brief hearing in the matter the apex court extended the trial deadline till March 31 2021 from earlier December 31 2020On October 5 Mehta had contended before a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan and comprising Justices MR Shah and R Subhash Reddy that the prosecutrix was suffering from lung infection and was thereby avoiding travel during the ongoing pandemicSibal had strongly objected to the trial through videoconference and argued that the woman did not want to face trial and insisted she had no lung problemJustice Shah then had queried Sibal What is wrong with a videoconference We are also hearing cases through videoconferenceSibal had contended that the accused wanted expeditious completion of the trial and reiterated that his client was against any extension in the trial completion deadline Mehta also supported the cross examination through videoconferenceThe bench issued notice to Tarun Tejpal on a plea filed by Goa Police to seek extension in time for completing the trial in the 2013 sexual assault case against himThe bench allowed Tejpal time to file his reply and posted the matter for further hearing on ThursdayOn August 19 2019 while refusing to quash the charges against Tejpal the top court had ordered for expeditious trial in the caseThe court had earlier issued a bailable warrant to secure the womans presence before it as her absence for cross examination was holding up the trialThe woman had moved the High Court to seek suspension of the warrant and she was granted this relief The High Court observed that unless the woman approaches the top court and seeks extension there is nothing much either the High Court or the trial court could doThe prosecutor had informed the court that the state government is making all efforts to move the top court in the matterThe High Court was informed that the woman was facing problems to visit Goa from Delhi amid the pandemic She also cited respiratory infection which made her prone to health hazards if she were to travel amid the pandemicKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest newsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever