Former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal acquitted in rape case

Tarun Tejpal, former editor-in-chief of Tehelka magazine, was today acquitted of all charges in the rape and sexual assault case brought by a woman employee in 2013.

“He is acquitted,” Goa additional sessions judge Kshama Joshi said while pronouncing the judgement, which was reserved last month. At Tejpal’s insistence, the hearing was held in camera and the press wasn’t allowed to cover it. The full judgement is yet to be released.

Tejpal was charged with rape, sexual harassment, and wrongful restraint after a complaint was registered against him by the Goa police in November 2013. Tejpal has always denied the allegations.

The journalist, in a press release this morning, spoke about his “long fight for vindication”, and thanked the judge for showing the “rare courage” of standing by the truth in this “awfully vitiated age”.

Women journalists took to Twitter to express dismay at the verdict.