In a landmark judgment, the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court on Thursday convicted former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal in the 2013 rape case and sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. The court also imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh, directing that the amount be paid to the survivor.

A division bench of Justices Dr Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar overturned the 2021 judgment of the Goa sessions court, which had acquitted Tejpal of all charges. The High Court granted him four weeks to surrender before the authorities.

According to Advocate General Devidas Pangam, the court found Tejpal guilty under provisions of the Indian Penal Code dealing with rape and offences committed by a person in a position of trust and authority.

The case arose from allegations made by a former Tehelka journalist, who accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting her inside an elevator at a luxury hotel in Goa during the ThinkFest event held in November 2013.

The sessions court had acquitted Tejpal in May 2021, holding that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. The judgment came under criticism for relying heavily on the complainant's conduct after the alleged incidents.

The Goa government challenged the acquittal before the High Court, arguing that the trial court had misread the evidence and placed undue emphasis on the survivor's behaviour instead of examining the material against the accused.

Appearing for the state, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contended that the trial court had diverted attention from the allegations by focusing on the complainant's personal life and post-incident conduct. He also argued that Tejpal's emails sent after the incident supported the prosecution's case.

The defence, led by Senior Advocate Aabad Ponda, argued that CCTV footage, electronic communications and witness testimonies created inconsistencies in the prosecution's version. It also maintained that Tejpal's apology emails could not be treated as an admission of guilt.

Following the conviction, Tejpal sought leniency during the sentencing hearing. However, the High Court sentenced him to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and imposed a ₹5 lakh fine. The court allowed him four weeks to surrender, enabling him to pursue legal remedies before the Supreme Court.

The detailed judgment explaining the reasons for overturning the acquittal is awaited.