3 weeks ago
Bombay High Court Convicts Tarun Tejpal in 2013 Rape Case
Tarun Tejpal was the head of a famous news magazine called Tehelka.
In 2013, a woman who worked with him said he hurt her twice in an elevator at a hotel in Goa.
This happened during a big magazine event called ThinkFest.
The police arrested him that same year.
A lower court in Goa said he was not guilty in 2021, but the government did not agree.
On Thursday, a higher court called the Bombay High Court said he is guilty of rape and of hurting the woman's modesty.
Tejpal is now 62 and he told the judges he thinks he is the victim and asked them to be kind to him.
The government's lawyer said a 'no' always means 'no' and asked for a strong punishment.
The judges will decide how much punishment he gets.
The woman's name is kept secret to protect her.
The Bombay High Court's Goa bench convicted former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal of rape and outraging the modesty of a woman, overturning the Sessions Court's 2021 acquittal.
The division bench of Justices Dr Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar pronounced the verdict on the Goa government's appeal; the quantum of punishment will be announced at 2:30 pm.
The case stems from allegations by a junior colleague that Tejpal assaulted her twice in a hotel elevator during Tehelka's ThinkFest event on November 7-8, 2013; he was arrested on November 30, 2013.
Tejpal, aged 62, pleaded for leniency, saying 'I am 62 and I believe I am a victim' and that he intends to appeal.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged maximum punishment, arguing that 'a no means a no' and that Tejpal kept advancing despite the victim's refusal.
- Who
- Tarun Tejpal, former editor-in-chief and founder of Tehelka, convicted on charges filed by a junior colleague; Solicitor General Tushar Mehta represented the Goa government.
- What
- Tejpal was convicted of rape and sexual harassment under IPC Sections 376(2)(f), 376(2)(k), 354A and 354B, overturning his 2021 acquittal.
- Where
- Goa, India — the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court heard the appeal; the alleged incident took place in a hotel elevator during the ThinkFest event.
- When
- The conviction was pronounced on Thursday, August 6; the alleged assault occurred on November 7-8, 2013, and Tejpal was arrested on November 30, 2013.
- Why
- The High Court accepted the Goa government's appeal, which argued the trial court erred in assessing the survivor's conduct and that Tejpal ignored the victim's refusal.
Prosecution (Goa Government)
Defense (Tarun Tejpal)
Sentencing
Prosecution (Goa Government)
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged the maximum punishment, saying a precedent must be set and that when a girl says no, it means no.
Defense (Tarun Tejpal)
Tejpal, arguing he is 62 and believes he is a victim, asked the court to be lenient and said he plans to appeal.
Tejpal's Role
Prosecution (Goa Government)
The prosecution said Tejpal, as a father figure to a victim of his daughter's age, should not have committed the offence and kept advancing despite her refusal on two days.
Defense (Tarun Tejpal)
Tejpal and his counsel characterized him as a political victim, noting there has been no other FIR, complaint or bad behaviour against him.
Trial Court Acquittal
Prosecution (Goa Government)
The prosecution argued the trial court wrongly evaluated the complainant's conduct based on preconceived notions of how a survivor should behave, and called his apology emails an admission.
Defense (Tarun Tejpal)
Tejpal maintained he is a victim, said the facts are on record, and indicated he will go to appeal; after charges were filed he claimed he was the victim of a 'political vendetta.'
Key facts
- Convicted
- Tarun Tejpal, former editor-in-chief of Tehelka
- Offences
- Rape and sexual harassment under IPC Sections 376(2)(f), 376(2)(k), 354A, 354B
- Court
- Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court
- Judges
- Justice Dr Neela Gokhale and Justice Amit Jamsandekar
- Verdict Date
- Thursday, August 6
- Incident Dates
- November 7-8, 2013, at a hotel elevator in Goa during ThinkFest
- Prior Verdict
- Acquitted by the Goa Sessions Court, Mapusa, on May 21, 2021
- Age of Accused
- 62
Quotes
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta
India’s Solicitor General
“"Despite the victim being a girl of his daughter's age, he committed an offence... He was a father figure should have not indulged into this... A precedent must be set... Victim refused but he kept advancing on two subsequent days... This court must give out a clear message to the society that when a girl says no, it means no. A No Means A No."”
wionews.com
NDTV
“"I am 62, and I believe I am a victim. I have a wife, and that's not much else to say. All that I can say is we can go and appeal. Please be lenient with me. The rest of the facts are placed on record."”
wionews.com
NDTV
Sources
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