A session court in Goa on Friday acquitted journalist Tarun Tejpal in the sexual assault case filed against him, reported ANI. Tejpal, the former editor-in-chief of Tehelka magazine, was accused of raping a junior colleague in an elevator in 2013.

Tejpal has been out on bail since 2014.

In September 2017, a trial court in Goa had charged Tejpal with rape, sexual harassment and wrongful restraint. He had pleaded not guilty. But in an internal email, Tejpal had blamed the incident on a “lapse of judgement”.

The Goa Police had filed a chargesheet in the case in 2014.

He was charged under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 376(2)(f) (person in position of authority over women, committing rape) and 376(2) (k) (rape by person in position of control) of the Indian Penal Code.

More details to follow.