Indian court orders 10-year term for Tehelka founder

Indian court orders 10-year term for Tehelka founder

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has sentenced former news magazine editor Tarun Tejpal to 10 years in prison after convicting him in a rape case involving a junior colleague, according to reports from Dawn and Goa police investigator Sunita Sawant.

The ruling revives one of India’s most closely watched workplace sexual assault cases. Tejpal, who co-founded the investigative magazine Tehelka, had earlier been acquitted in 2021 by a trial court in Goa on charges of rape, sexual harassment and wrongful restraint. That acquittal was later challenged by the Goa government, leading to the high court decision.

According to the source report, the case centres on allegations that Tejpal raped a journalist in the lift of a five-star hotel in Goa during an event in November 2013. The allegations drew nationwide attention at the time and continued to move through the courts for years.

Goa Police investigator Sunita Sawant said Tejpal had been convicted to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and given two weeks to surrender. She also said the court ordered him to pay a fine of $5,250.

Tejpal, who is 63, has said he will challenge the conviction in the Supreme Court. In comments reported in the feed, he described the case as a political vendetta that has pursued him for 13 years.

The Bombay High Court ruling marks a major turn in a long-running legal battle that began with the allegations in 2013, moved through acquittal in 2021, and now ends, for the moment, with a prison sentence and a fresh legal fight ahead.

The Tarun Tejpal rape case has remained a significant story in Indian public life because of Tejpal’s prominence in media and the length of time the matter has taken to reach this stage.

FAQ

What did the court decide in the Tarun Tejpal rape case?

The Bombay High Court sentenced Tarun Tejpal to 10 years in prison after convicting him in the case.

Did Tejpal respond to the ruling?

Yes. He said he would appeal to the Supreme Court.

What happened before this ruling?

A trial court in Goa acquitted Tejpal in 2021, but the Goa government challenged that verdict.