The 54-year-old is accused of sexually assaulting a female colleague inside the elevator of Hotel Grand Hyatt in Goa on the night of November 7, 2013.

Big blow to Tarun Tejpal as SC asks Goa court to begin trial in sexual assault caseFormer editor in chief of Tehelka magazine Tarun Tejpal (Express file photo)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked a Goa court to begin trial in the sexual assault case against Tarun Tejpal, former editor-in-chief of Tehelka magazine. The apex court asked the court to conduct examination of the witnesses in the case, reports ANI.

ANI also reported that the Supreme Court has asked the Bombay High Court to “expeditiously” decide on Tejpal’s plea for his discharge.

The 54-year-old is accused of sexually assaulting a female colleague inside the elevator of Hotel Grand Hyatt in Goa on the night of November 7, 2013.

A Goa trial court had in September charged Tejpal of rape and wrongful confinement. The trial court had booked Tejpal on all the rape charges — 376 (rape), 354-A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 376(2) (k) (rape of a woman by a person being in position of control or dominance over the woman), 376 (2) (f) (person in position of trust or authority over women committing rape of such women) and Section 354-B (disrobing a woman), along with other charges under Sections 341 and 342 (punishment for wrongful restraint).

In May 2014, the Supreme Court had directed that the trial should be conducted within eight months of filing the chargesheet. Tejpal was chargesheeted on February 17, 2014 by the Goa Crime Branch.