The Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court sentenced former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal to 10 years rigorous imprisonment in the 2013 sexual assault case, overturning his earlier acquittal by a trial court. He was granted four weeks to surrender.
The Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court on Thursday sentenced former Tehelka magazine editor Tarun Tejpal to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in the 2013 sexual assault case filed against him by a junior colleague, more than a decade after the alleged incident and years after his acquittal by a trial court had been challenged by the Goa government.
Case Background and Initial Trial
The case dates back to November 2013, when a female journalist working with Tehelka accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting her inside a hotel elevator in Goa on November 7 and 8. Tejpal was arrested on November 30, 2013, and was subsequently charged in September 2017 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including rape, sexual harassment and wrongful confinement. He pleaded not guilty, and his attempt to get the charges quashed by the Supreme Court failed, with the apex court directing that the trial be completed within six months. In May 2021, the Goa Sessions Court acquitted Tejpal of all charges, ruling that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, citing the absence of medical evidence and messages between the complainant and Tejpal that the court said did not support her claim of trauma.
State Government's Reaction
The Goa government challenged this acquittal before the Bombay High Court, and on Thursday, the High Court's Goa bench convicted Tejpal on all charges and handed him a 10-year jail term, granting him four weeks to surrender. Goa Police official Sunita Sawant, who investigated the case, confirmed the sentence to reporters. "He has been sentenced to 10 years of Rigorous Imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakhs. He has been given two weeks to surrender," she said, before Goa Advocate General Devidas Pangam clarified that the surrender window had since been extended. "Actually, four weeks have now been granted, although initially it was announced as two weeks. I was called, and the lawyer representing the accused was also called into the chamber. The judges informed us that he would be given four weeks to surrender," Pangam told the media.
On whether the state would contest the quantum of punishment, Pangam said no final call had been taken yet. "Regarding the sentence of 10 years, we will study the matter. We will decide whether to challenge that part of the order. We have not taken any decision so far," he said, adding that the state was also awaiting a certified copy of the order to assess the court's ruling on financial penalties. "We wanted the maximum fine to be imposed, and once we receive a copy of the order, we will take a call on it," he added.
Political and Legal Reactions
Advocate Cyndiana Silva, who represented the State of Goa, noted that Tejpal "has been convicted for all the offences he was charged for." Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant welcomed the verdict, saying, "The verdict delivered today by the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court in the Tarun Tejpal case is a victory for justice. Since the incident occurred in Goa, it was the responsibility of the Goa Police and the government to consistently follow up on the case. Our government pursued the matter diligently, and today the verdict has been delivered," Sawant told ANI.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ujjwal Nikam, reacting to the verdict, said he had not yet gone through the full judgment but explained why victim testimony often proves decisive in such cases. "I haven't seen the full text of the Bombay High Court's verdict yet. However, based on my experience handling prosecution cases, the victim's testimony is crucial; if the victim states that the accused molested her inside the elevator, that testimony holds significant weight. In this instance, the Goa Police presented corroborative evidence to support the victim's account, which is why the Bombay High Court overturned the earlier acquittal," Nikam said. He added that the verdict sent a larger message about accountability. "One thing has become clear from this verdict: the court is unconcerned with where you are, what position you hold, or what you do. If anyone flouts the law, the law will not spare them. This point has now been firmly established," he said.
Tejpal Maintains Innocence, Plans Appeal
Speaking to reporters ahead of the sentence being pronounced, Tejpal maintained his innocence and said he would appeal to the Supreme Court, describing the case as a product of political vendetta linked to Tehelka's journalism. "We will go to the Supreme Court, hundred per cent we will go. I have no doubt. For 13 years, because of a political vendetta due to Tehelka's work, they have been after me. We fought the case in the trial court for seven and a half years and were acquitted. Now they are after me again. They acquit those who are with them, but they go after those who have ever done journalism against them or said anything against them," he said.
He further urged journalists to scrutinise the pattern of cases against critics of the establishment. "You are journalists; go and see how many people they have framed in false cases in the last 12 years. They have framed me too, but I still got acquitted. Despite that, now it depends on journalists to go and ask questions," he said.
With the Goa government still weighing whether to challenge the quantum of the sentence and fine, and Tejpal signalling an appeal before the Supreme Court, the 13-year-long legal battle appears set to continue.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)