3 weeks ago
Court convicts Tarun Tejpal in 2013 Tehelka sexual assault case
A long time ago, a man named Tarun Tejpal was the boss of a news magazine called Tehelka in India.
In November 2013, a woman who worked at the magazine said he hurt her inside an elevator at a hotel in Goa.
Mr. Tejpal said he did not do it, and in 2021 a lower court agreed and set him free.
Now a higher court, called the Bombay High Court, has looked at the case again and decided he is guilty.
The judges sent him to prison for 10 years.
Mr. Tejpal says he will ask the Supreme Court, the highest court in India, to check the decision.
The news story also talks about an older Tehelka investigation with hidden cameras that tried to catch government officials taking bribes.
Some people think that was brave journalism that exposed corruption, but others say the magazine used unfair tricks and changed its videos.
A well-known lawyer named Kapil Sibal said he gave the magazine money to support free speech.
The story shows that people can disagree strongly about what is true and fair.
The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court convicted former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal in the 2013 sexual assault case, overturning his May 2021 acquittal and sentencing him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
A female Tehelka colleague accused Tejpal of assaulting her in an elevator at the Grand Hyatt in Bambolim, Goa, during the magazine's THiNK event on 7-8 November 2013; Tejpal has said he will challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court.
Senior lawyer and former Union law minister Kapil Sibal confirmed a Rs 5 lakh donation to Tejpal in 2003 and 80 shares in Tehelka's publisher Anant Media Private Ltd, calling it a commitment to press freedom, while denying any substantial stake or family relationship; Tejpal's family and industrialist K D Singh held about 19% and 65% of Tehelka respectively.
The article revisits the 2001 Operation West End sting, in which Tehelka journalists Aniruddha Bahal and Mathew Samuel posed as arms dealers to target alleged defence corruption, including charges against then-BJP president Bangaru Laxman, and notes that in July 2023 the Delhi High Court ordered Tehelka, Tejpal and two journalists to pay Rs 2 crore damages to Major General M S Ahluwalia for defamation.
It also claims the Congress government of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh disbanded the Justice Phukan Commission set up under the Vajpayee government, and cites Jaya Jaitly's book alleging Sonia Gandhi asked P Chidambaram to treat Tehelka's financier First Global fairly; the commission had reportedly cleared former defence minister George Fernandes.
- Who
- Tarun Tejpal, former editor-in-chief of the magazine Tehelka; the accuser was a young woman who worked at Tehelka; the verdict came from the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court
- What
- Tejpal was convicted on charges of rape and sexual assault from November 2013 and sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, overturning his 2021 acquittal
- Where
- The alleged assault took place at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Bambolim, Goa, during Tehelka's THiNK event; the case was decided by the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court
- When
- The conviction came more than 12 years after the alleged assault on 7-8 November 2013; Tejpal was arrested on 30 November 2013 and acquitted by a Goa sessions court in May 2021
- Why
- The High Court reversed the earlier acquittal after concluding the charges were proved; Tejpal has said he will challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court
Tehelka and press-freedom supporters
Critics and the courts
Tehelka's sting operations
Tehelka and press-freedom supporters
Tehelka's stings exposed alleged corruption in defence deals, and supporters see the magazine as a champion of press freedom.
Critics and the courts
Critics allege entrapment, bribes, call girls and liquor, and say forensic checks showed the Operation West End tapes were edited and tampered with.
Congress support for Tehelka
Tehelka and press-freedom supporters
Kapil Sibal says his Rs 5 lakh donation backed freedom of speech and press after Tehelka suffered for exposing corruption, and that he had no real stake or family link.
Critics and the courts
Critics claim Congress funded and shielded Tehelka to attack the BJP-led government, citing the disbanding of the Phukan Commission and Jaya Jaitly's claim of a Sonia Gandhi letter protecting First Global.
Guilt in the 2013 assault case
Tehelka and press-freedom supporters
The Bombay High Court found the charges proved and sentenced Tejpal to 10 years in prison, reversing an acquittal that had been criticised.
Critics and the courts
Tejpal denies the allegations and says he will challenge the conviction in the Supreme Court; a Goa sessions court had acquitted him in 2021.
Key facts
- Convicted
- Tarun Tejpal, former editor-in-chief of Tehelka
- Sentence
- 10 years of rigorous imprisonment
- Verdict
- Goa bench of the Bombay High Court, overturning May 2021 acquittal
- Incident
- Alleged assault on 7-8 November 2013 at Grand Hyatt, Bambolim, Goa, during Tehelka's THiNK event
- Charges
- Rape, sexual harassment, assault with intent to disrobe
- Kapil Sibal's ties
- Rs 5 lakh donation (2003) and 80 shares (0.04%) in Anant Media Private Ltd
- Ahluwalia damages
- Rs 2 crore ordered by Delhi High Court in July 2023
- Next step
- Tejpal to challenge verdict in the Supreme Court
Quotes
Kapil Sibal
Former Union law minister and senior lawyer
“"I don’t have any stake in Tehelka. I helped him. I gave a donation of Rs 5 lakh in 2003. I did not apply for shares, nor am I given any share allotment."”
opindia.com
“"When Tarun approached me for help in 2003, I was a lawyer at that time… I helped him. I gave a donation of Rs 5 lakh in 2003."”
opindia.com
Sources
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