Bombay High Court Sets Aside Acquittal, Convicts Tarun Tejpal In 2013 Rape Case

New Delhi: The Bombay High Court on Thursday convicted Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal in the 2013 rape case, overturning the Goa trial court's 2021 acquittal verdict. The court is scheduled to pronounce the sentence at 2:30 pm today. The case dates back to November 2013, when a Tehelka employee alleged that Tejpal raped her inside an elevator at a Goa resort during the magazine's annual Thinkfest event.

What has the court said?

The bench comprising Justices Dr Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar held on Thursday that Tarun Tejpal was guilty of committing rape and sexual harassment under Sections 376(2)(f) and 376(2)(k) and Sections 354A and 354 B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

"We have set aside the judgment and order and convicted Tejpal," said the Bombay High Court.

What does this case entail?

This case pertains to a complaint levelled against Tejpal in connection with the sexual assault of his former junior colleague in the lift of a hotel in the Thinkfest in Goa during November 2013.

After Tejpal got acquitted in all the cases that were filed against him in the lower court, the government of Goa filed an appeal case against Tejpal in the High Court last week. The case was put off in the High Court last week following the hearing of the arguments by Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General, and senior advocate Abad Ponda on behalf of Tejpal.

What did the government argue?

On behalf of the state government, Tushar Mehta presented the arguments. He said that the Sessions Court had made a mistake by considering the complainant's behavior based on some preconceived notion of how a woman assaulted sexually should act.

The Solicitor General argued that there could be no universal standard for a sexual assault victim's response, as it could vary depending on the individual's education, personality, social background, and circumstances.