The Bombay High Court overturned Tarun Tejpal’s acquittal, convicting the former investigative magazine editor in a high-profile sexual assault case dating back to 2013.
MUMBAI, India — WEB DESK: The Bombay High Court has sentenced former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal to 10 years’ imprisonment after overturning his earlier acquittal in the high-profile 2013 rape case.
According to court proceedings, the conviction relates to the sexual assault of a female colleague during a journalism event at a luxury hotel in Goa in 2013. The case attracted nationwide attention and became one of India’s most closely watched legal proceedings involving a prominent media figure.
The High Court reversed a previous trial court judgment that had acquitted Tejpal, concluding that the prosecution had established the charges. The court subsequently imposed a 10-year prison sentence and granted Tejpal two weeks to surrender before authorities.
The case dates back to allegations that Tejpal sexually assaulted a junior colleague inside a hotel elevator during an event organized by Tehelka magazine in Goa in November 2013. The allegations triggered widespread public debate over workplace safety, accountability and sexual misconduct in India’s media industry.
Following Thursday’s ruling, the verdict marked a major development in a case that has remained in the Indian judicial system for more than a decade. Legal experts say the judgment is likely to remain under close public and legal scrutiny given its significance and the profile of the accused.
