NEW DELHI/ August 18: The Goa government has approached the Supreme Court seeking an increase in the 10-year prison sentence imposed on former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal in the 2013 sexual assault case.
The state’s petition comes days after the Bombay High Court’s Goa Bench reversed Tejpal’s acquittal by a trial court and convicted him in the case. On August 6, the High Court sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and directed him to pay a fine of about ₹10.21 lakh to the survivor. The sentences imposed for the different offences are to run concurrently.
The case dates back to November 2013, when a junior woman colleague accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting her inside a hotel elevator during a Tehelka event in Goa. Goa Police registered an FIR and arrested Tejpal later that year.
Tejpal has consistently denied the allegations and maintained that the encounter was consensual or had been misinterpreted.
He was prosecuted under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including those relating to rape, sexual harassment, assault with intent to disrobe, wrongful restraint and wrongful confinement.
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Trial Court Acquittal Overturned
A Goa sessions court acquitted Tejpal of all charges in May 2021. The prosecution challenged the verdict before the High Court, arguing that the trial court had relied on stereotypical notions about the behaviour expected from a survivor of sexual assault.
A Division Bench comprising Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit S. Jamsandekar of the Bombay High Court’s Goa Bench allowed the state’s appeal and overturned the acquittal.
The High Court found the trial court’s assessment of the evidence to be unreasonable and legally “perverse”. It held that the survivor’s testimony was natural and reliable and was corroborated by CCTV footage, surrounding circumstances, emails containing Tejpal’s apology and other communications.
The Bench concluded that the prosecution had established the charges against Tejpal beyond reasonable doubt.
Supreme Court Challenge
The High Court initially granted Tejpal two weeks to surrender following his conviction. The period was subsequently extended to four weeks after his lawyers sought additional time to approach the Supreme Court.
Tejpal is expected to challenge both his conviction and sentence before the apex court.
The Goa government’s separate plea seeks enhancement of the 10-year sentence. The conviction and sentence will remain operative unless the Supreme Court stays, alters or otherwise modifies the High Court judgment.
