HC convicts Tejpal in 2013 rape case, calls acquittal perverse

Long ago, in 2013, a woman who worked for a news magazine called Tehelka said that her boss, a famous journalist named Tarun Tejpal, hurt her.

She said he forced her into sexual acts, which is a crime.

First, a court in Goa decided that Tejpal was not guilty.

But the Bombay High Court, a bigger court, looked at the case again and said that decision was wrong.

The High Court said Tejpal is guilty and must go to prison for ten years.

The judges also said the first court made a mistake when it expected the woman to act like a 'perfect victim.'

A perfect victim, they said, is someone who is always sad, weak, and quiet, but that idea is a myth.

People deal with scary and painful events in different ways, so the woman's behavior did not mean she was lying.

The judges believed her story because it was steady and other witnesses agreed with it.

They also said every woman has the right to say no, and her boss was not allowed to hurt her just because he had more power.