New Delhi, 20 August (H.S.): Former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court judgment that convicted him in a sexual assault case and sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

According to officials, Tejpal has challenged both his conviction and the 10-year jail term. His petition comes days after the Goa government also moved the Supreme Court, seeking enhancement of his sentence to life imprisonment.

The Goa government has argued that the Bombay High Court imposed the minimum sentence of 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment for each of the two aggravated rape convictions and directed the sentences to run concurrently. The state has contended that the High Court’s reliance on the passage of 13 years since the alleged offences and the fact that both the victim and the accused had moved on with their lives was not a legally sustainable basis for awarding the minimum punishment.

The case relates to allegations that Tejpal sexually assaulted a former junior colleague inside an elevator at a five-star hotel in Goa during an event on November 7 and 8, 2013. He was arrested nearly 22 days later and stepped down as editor-in-chief of Tehelka following the allegations.

Tejpal was tried under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including those relating to wrongful restraint and confinement, sexual harassment, assault with intent to disrobe and aggravated rape involving a person in a position of authority or control.

In July 2014, Tejpal was granted bail. In 2021, a trial court in Goa acquitted him of all charges, including rape, sexual harassment, assault and wrongful confinement. The Goa government subsequently challenged the acquittal before the Bombay High Court.

Earlier this month, the Bombay High Court overturned the trial court’s acquittal and described the 2021 verdict as “perverse”. The High Court subsequently convicted Tejpal and sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

Tejpal has now challenged the High Court’s judgment before the Supreme Court, while the Goa government is separately seeking a life sentence.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar