Tarun Tejpal moves SC against conviction in 2013 sexual assault case

Former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay high court’s verdict convicting him in the 2013 sexual assault case, reported news agency PTI.Tehelka magazine ex-editor Tarun Tejpal arrives at the High Court of Bombay at Goa for the judgement in a sexual assault case, in Panaji. (ANI Video Grab)The high court had on August 6 overturned his acquittal by a Goa sessions court and sentenced him to 10 years in prison.The case relates to allegations that he sexually assaulted a junior colleague inside an elevator at a Goa hotel during Tehelka’s ThinkFest event in November 2013.Goa govt's plea against sentenceThe Goa government has also approached the apex court seeking an enhancement of Tejpal’s 10-year prison sentence to life imprisonment, as reported by HT earlier.In its petition, the state argued that the sentence awarded by the Bombay high court was “grossly disproportionate” to the gravity of the aggravated rape offences committed against his junior colleague.The state has also challenged the high court’s decision to run the sentences for the two aggravated rape convictions concurrently. It argued that the alleged assaults occurred on successive days and constituted “separate criminality” that should be reflected in the punishment.The Goa government, however, clarified that its appeal is limited to the quantum of sentence and the direction that the sentences run concurrently.In its plea, the Goa government pointed to several aggravating circumstances recorded by the high court, which it said warranted a punishment beyond the statutory minimum of 10 years. These included Tejpal’s position as the woman’s employer and mentor, as well as his friendship with her father and his relationship with her family.The high court had found that Tejpal was in a position of “dominance, control, trust and authority” over the woman. Citing these circumstances, the state argued that the sentence was inadequate and sought life imprisonment or any other enhanced punishment that the top court may deem appropriate.What the Bombay HC order saidThe high court, on August 6, overturned Tejpal’s 2021 acquittal by a trial court and convicted him in the 2013 sexual assault case. It sentenced him to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh for each of the two aggravated rape offences, along with separate sentences for sexual harassment, assault with intent to disrobe and wrongful confinement.Since all the sentences were ordered to run concurrently, his effective prison term was 10 years.