Goa moves Supreme Court seeking life term for Tarun Tejpal in 2013 rape case

The Goa government has approached the Supreme Court seeking a tougher sentence for former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal, asking that his 10-year prison term in a 2013 rape case be increased to life imprisonment, Bar and Bench reported. The plea comes after the Bombay High Court overturned Tejpal's acquittal by a trial court and convicted him earlier this month.

Tejpal was accused of sexually assaulting a junior colleague inside a hotel elevator in Goa in 2013. The Bombay High Court sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of more than ₹10 lakh.

Goa seeks life term for Tarun Tejpal

The state has challenged the sentence before the Supreme Court, seeking life imprisonment instead of the 10-year term handed down by the High Court.

A bench of Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar had imposed the minimum sentence prescribed for rape, taking into account that 13 years had passed since the incident and that Tejpal had no previous criminal record.

"Both parties (the victim and Tejpal) may have moved on in life," the court said.

The High Court initially directed Tejpal to surrender within two weeks. His lawyers subsequently sought more time, following which the deadline was extended to four weeks.

What is the 2013 Tejpal rape case?

Tarun Tejpal, then editor-in-chief of Tehelka, was accused of sexually assaulting a junior colleague in an elevator at a luxury hotel during an event organised by the magazine in Goa.

Goa Police registered an FIR against him for several offences, including rape. He was arrested in November 2013 and released on bail in July 2014.

The trial began in 2017 and lasted four years. In May 2021, the trial court acquitted Tejpal, citing shortcomings in the investigation and the prosecution's failure to produce crucial evidence, including CCTV footage.

The Goa government challenged the acquittal before the Bombay High Court.

Bombay High Court overturned Tejpal acquittal

The High Court reversed the trial court's verdict on August 6 and convicted Tejpal. In its 81-page judgment, it described the earlier acquittal as "perverse" and criticised the approach taken towards the complainant.

The court rejected the idea that a sexual assault survivor must behave in a particular manner to be considered credible. It also criticised the defence's focus on the complainant's personal life during cross-examination.

The judges said they found it surprising that the trial court "remained silent and allowed the defence to harass and humiliate her during the cross examination".

Tejpal plans Supreme Court challenge

Tejpal, 62, has denied the allegations and maintained that the case was politically motivated. He has indicated that he would challenge his conviction before the Supreme Court.

The latest plea by the Goa government means the Supreme Court will now consider the state's request to enhance the sentence to life imprisonment, alongside Tejpal's challenge to his conviction.