Former Tehelka Editor-in-Chief Tarun Tejpal surrenders to Goa court to serve 10-year sentence | Today’s news
Tarun Tejpal, former editor-in-chief of Tehelka, surrendered in a Goa court on Monday in connection with a 2013 sexual assault case and is now serving a 10-year rigorous imprisonment.
Tejpal was sent to the Colvala Central Jail in North Goa to begin serving his sentence after he surrendered before the Additional Sessions Court in Mapusa.
Supreme Court rejects Tejpal’s plea for exemption
The development comes after the Supreme Court in August gave Tejpal a three-week deadline to surrender and serve his 10-year jail term after the Bombay High Court convicted him, news agency PTI reported. The apex court’s verdict came after a bench headed by Justice Alok Arad rejected his surrender plea.
The Supreme Court has scheduled his appeal against the conviction and sentence to be heard on September 22 if Tejpal submits a surrender letter. The Supreme Court said: “In the event that the writ of surrender is filed on or before September 21, 2026, the registry will list the criminal appeal for hearing on September 22, 2026 in the ordinary court.”
What is it against Tarun Tejpal?
On 6 August, the Bombay High Court convicted Tejpal of raping a colleague in a hotel lift in November 2013 during an event organized by a magazine in Goa, after which he was sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment, overturning a trial court’s acquittal five years earlier. While he was arrested in connection with the case in November 2013 and remained in custody for several weeks, he was later granted bail.
The former editor of Tehelka was convicted under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 376(2)(f) (rape committed by a person in a position of trust or authority), 354(a) (sexual harassment) and 354(b) (assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe). According to § 376 paragraph 2 letter f) is a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
In addition, the court imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh on Tejpal and he was ordered to pay the victim’s amount.
The Supreme Court’s latest order follows a long legal battle in the case.
The trial court acquitted Tejpal in 2021
According to the report, Tejpal’s trial was conducted before the Additional Sessions Court in Mapusa, which acquitted him of all charges in May 2021, ruling that the prosecution had failed to clear the case beyond reasonable doubt. However, the Goa government challenged his acquittal in the Bombay High Court, saying the lower court had erred in its assessment of the evidence.
Following an appeal by the Goa government, the Bombay High Court overturned the acquittal, relying heavily on the victim’s testimony and other evidence, including CCTV footage and emails exchanged after the alleged incident.
