Goa moves Supreme Court seeking life term for Tarun Tejpal in 2013 rape case
Goa Petitions Supreme Court to Upgrade Tarun Tejpal's Rape Sentence to Life Imprisonment
Theindiapostdaily.com – The state of Goa has filed a petition before the Supreme Court demanding that the punishment handed to former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal be escalated from a decade of rigorous imprisonment to life imprisonment. The move follows the Bombay High Court's decision earlier this month to reverse a trial-court acquittal and formally convict Tejpal in connection with a 2013 sexual-assault allegation.
The High Court Conviction and Sentence
A two-judge bench comprising Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar delivered the verdict on August 6, overturning the lower court's finding of innocence. In an 81-page judgment, the court labelled the earlier acquittal "perverse" and faulted the manner in which the complainant had been treated throughout proceedings.
The bench imposed the statutory minimum penalty for rape — ten years of rigorous imprisonment — together with a fine exceeding ₹10 lakh. In explaining its reasoning, the court noted that thirteen years had elapsed since the alleged incident and that Tejpal carried no prior criminal record.
"Both parties (the victim and Tejpal) may have moved on in life," the court said.
The High Court initially ordered Tejpal to surrender within two weeks. After his counsel requested additional time, the deadline was stretched to four weeks.
What Happened in 2013
Tarun Tejpal, then serving as editor-in-chief of the magazine Tehelka, was accused of sexually assaulting a junior colleague inside the elevator of a luxury hotel in Goa. The incident took place during an event organised by the publication. Goa Police registered an FIR covering multiple offences, rape among them. Tejpal was taken into custody in November 2013 and granted bail the following July, in 2014.
Four Years of Trial and an Acquittal That Lasted Less Than Two Years
The trial commenced in 2017 and stretched across four years. In May 2021, the trial court cleared Tejpal, pointing to deficiencies in the investigation and the prosecution's inability to furnish key evidence, notably CCTV footage from the hotel. Goa then carried the matter to the Bombay High Court, which ultimately reversed the verdict.
The appellate judges expressed surprise at how the trial court had handled cross-examination of the complainant.
"Remained silent and allowed the defence to harass and humiliate her during the cross examination," the judges observed.
The court also pushed back against the notion that a survivor of sexual assault must conduct herself in a prescribed way to earn credibility, and it criticised the defence's probing of the complainant's personal life during questioning.
Tejpal's Position and the Road Ahead
Now 62, Tejpal has consistently denied the allegations, characterising the case as politically motivated. He has signalled his intention to contest the conviction itself before the Supreme Court. With the Goa government's parallel plea to enhance the sentence to life imprisonment now before the apex court, both questions — guilt and quantum of punishment — will be examined together.
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