Former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal surrendered before the Mapusa court in Goa on Monday in connection with the 2013 rape case involving a junior colleague. The surrender follows a Bombay High Court judgment sentencing him to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment.
The case dates back to November 2013, when Tejpal was accused of sexually assaulting a woman colleague inside a hotel elevator during an event organised by Tehelka in Goa. A Goa sessions court had acquitted him of all charges in May 2021, holding that the prosecution had failed to establish the case beyond reasonable doubt.
The Goa government subsequently challenged the acquittal before the Bombay High Court. On August 6, the High Court overturned the trial court's decision, convicted Tejpal and sentenced him to 10 years in prison.
Tejpal challenged the High Court judgment before the Supreme Court and sought exemption from surrender. The Supreme Court rejected that request and directed him to surrender and submit a surrender certificate before his appeal against the conviction could be considered.
The Supreme Court's order stated: “The application seeking exemption from surrendering is rejected. However, the appellant is granted three weeks’ time to surrender and file surrender certificate before this court.”
Tejpal had also sought additional time to surrender before the Mapusa court. That request was rejected, following which he indicated that he would surrender on September 14 in compliance with the Supreme Court's directions.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to consider Tejpal's appeal against his conviction and sentence, subject to the filing of the surrender certificate. Meanwhile, the Goa government has separately challenged the 10-year sentence, seeking a life sentence on the grounds that the punishment was inadequate.
