Former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal sentenced to 10 years in 2013 sexual assault case; gets 2 weeks to surrender

Former Tehelka magazine editor Tarun Tejpal was on Thursday sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment by the Bombay High Court in the 2013 sexual assault case. The court has granted him two weeks to surrender.

The sentencing comes after the HC earlier in the day set aside Tejpal's acquittal by a Goa sessions court in the 2013 sexual assault case involving a former colleague.

Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar of the High Court's Goa bench overturned the 2021 acquittal and convicted Tejpal under Sections 376(2)(f) (rape by a person in a position of trust or authority), 354A (sexual harassment) and 354B (assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe) of the Indian Penal Code.

Tejpal to challenge conviction in SC

While Tejpal pleaded for leniency, claiming he was a "political victim" and the father of two daughters, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Goa government, demanded the maximum punishment to send a strong message that "no means no".

Talking to reporters outside the high court after the verdict, Tejpal said, "We will be appealing against this order. We feel the order is wrong. We will be moving to the Supreme Court against the order."

Allegations against Tejpal

The complaint against Tejpal was filed by a woman journalist, who had accused him of sexually assaulting her inside a hotel elevator on November 7 and 8, 2013.

Tejpal was arrested on November 30, 2013. Tejpal, who was the founding editor of Tehelka, was forced to step down from his post following the allegations.

In September 2017, he was charged under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including rape, sexual harassment, and wrongful confinement.

In May 2021, the Goa sessions court had acquitted Tejpal of all charges, holding that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. The trial court noted the absence of medical evidence and relied on messages exchanged between the complainant and Tejpal, concluding that they did not support the prosecution's claim that she had been traumatised by the alleged assault.

Investigator, Goa AG welcome HC verdict

"The accused has been convicted," Goa Police investigator Sunita Sawant, who led the probe, told reporters after the verdict.

"This is a sentence where a girl has stood up for her rights... so this judgement is very important for women who are working in any sector."

According to Swant, the trial court had failed to properly appreciate the evidence and that the High Court rightly set aside the acquittal.

Goa Advocate General Devidas Pangam also welcomed the Bombay High Court's decision, calling it a "judgment based on justice and evidence". He added that the ruling brought solace to the survivor after what he termed an erroneous acquittal by the trial court.

According to Pangam, the trial court had "completely gone wrong" in acquitting Tejpal despite the evidence on record.

"There was so much evidence on record, and the facts were proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Despite that, the trial court acquitted him based on surmises regarding the character of the victim. In fact, the entire judgment amounted to a character assassination of the victim. She was treated as if she were the accused," Pangam told ANI.