The Supreme Court on Friday sought the response of the Goa government on the plea filed by former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal challenging his conviction in a a 2013 rape case. He had surrendered on September 14 pursuant to the top court’s order last month.
Tejpal had urged in his petition that both the victim and the accused have moved on in their lives and he now has a family with two daughters to care for. Even during the period of trial, he had remained out on bail.
However, while overturning the acquittal, the high court described the trial court’s judgment as “perverse” and went on to convict him based on the victim’s testimony and accompanying evidence.
A bench of justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale issued notice on Tejpal’s petition along with another appeal filed by Goa government seeking enhancement of the 10-year sentence awarded by the Bombay high court’s Goa bench on August 6. Earlier, a trial court in Goa had acquitted him in the case in 2021. The 63-year old journalist was accused by a former employee of Tehelka of sexually assaulting her inside an elevator at a Goa resort in November 2013 during the organisation’s annual event.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for Tejpal informed the court that the case is one of reversal of acquittal and the petitioner has surrendered. He requested the court for the matter next week as he had already surrendered and was in jail. Following investigation, Tejpal underwent trial for offences of rape and criminal assault or use of force against a woman.
The bench said, “We are issuing notice to hear the appeal.. Sibal told the court that even the high court had suspended the sentence to permit the accused to approach the top court.
