Tarun Tejpal convicted in rape case, to appeal in Supreme Court

The Bombay High Court's Goa bench, comprising Justices Nela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar, convicted former Tehelka magazine editor Tarun Tejpal of rape, overturning the lower court's acquittal. Sentencing will be pronounced later. Tejpal was present in court and appealed for leniency, stating he is 62 years old, has two daughters and a wife, and claimed to be a victim of political conspiracy. His counsel requested a stay of conviction and sentence for at least 10 weeks to file an appeal in the Supreme Court.

Tejpal was charged under IPC sections 376(2)(f) (rape by person in position of trust), 354(a) (sexual harassment), and 354(b) (criminal force with intent to disrobe). Section 376 carries a minimum 10-year to life sentence. The case stems from an alleged sexual assault in a hotel lift during a ThinkFest event in Goa in November 2013. A lower court had acquitted him in 2021.