"Despite the victim being a girl of his daughter's age, he committed an offence" :::::: Bombay High Court overturns acquittal of Tehelka magazine founder Tarun Tejpal and convicts him of rape in 2013 case

Tarun Tejpal, Tehelka founder, gets 10-year jail for raping employee in 2013

The Goa government had appealed against Tejpal's acquittal.

Bombay High Court overturned the acquittal of Tehelka magazine founder Tarun Tejpal and convicted him of rape in the 2013 case.  

"I am 62, and I believe I am a victim. I have a wife, and that's not much else to say. All that I can say is we can go and appeal. Please be lenient with me," Tejpal said.

The closely watched verdict comes after days of protracted hearings in one of India's most high-profile trials involving a prominent journalist.

The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court on Thursday convicted Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal in the 2013 rape case, setting aside the 2021 judgment of the Goa trial court that had acquitted him. 

The case dates back to November 2013, when a Tehelka employee accused Tejpal of raping her in the elevator of a Goa resort during the magazine's annual Thinkfest event.  

The journalist approached the Supreme Court seeking a one-week pause on the High Court order.

Opposing Tejpal's plea for leniency, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state, said the journalist was a "father figure" for the survivor and a precedent must be set.

"Despite the victim being a girl of his daughter's age, he committed an offence. He was a father figure and should not have indulged in this. A precedent must be set," Mehta said.

A division bench of justices Dr Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar held Tejpal guilty of rape and sexual harassment under Sections 376(2)(f) and 376(2)(k), along with Sections 354A and 354B of the IPC. 

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

While Section 376(2)(f) criminalises rape by a person in a position of trust or authority, Section 354A criminalises sexual harassment. 

Section 354B criminalises assault or use of criminal force against a woman with the intent to disrobe her.