The deadline for completion of trial in the sexual assault case against Tehelka magazine’s founder Tarun Tejpal got an extension till March 31, 2021. The counsel appearing for the Tejpal, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal opposed the extension of deadline stating there is already an existing deadline till December 31st.
The State of Goa filed an application requesting for the said extension for the completion of the trial. An order to this effect was passed and the existing deadline was moved further ahead, to March, next year.
Solicitor General added and informed the court that the trial judge also had the notion of extension considering that more than 30 witnesses were still left to be examined and the trial cannot be completed by December 31st.
The Bench led by Hon’ble Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and MR Shah was requested by the counsel of Tejpal to hear the plea in the last week of December, before the winter vacation begins and to try the matter swiftly .
It was last year when the court extended the deadline to December 2020 and the trial got a further extension of three months today and is anticipated to be completed by March 2021.
