Published Sep 14, 2026 | 6:07 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 14, 2026 | 6:08 PM
A younger Tarun Tejpal. (Photo | Wikimedia Commons)
Former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal, convicted of rape in a 2013 sexual assault case, surrendered before a Goa court on Monday, 14 September, to serve his 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence.
On 25 August, the Supreme Court had directed Tejpal to surrender within three weeks to undergo his 10-year prison sentence following his conviction by the Bombay High Court. A Supreme Court bench of Justice Alok Aradhe had dismissed Tejpal’s plea seeking exemption from surrendering.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court had listed his appeal challenging his conviction and sentence for hearing on September 22, subject to the filing of the surrender certificate.
“In case the surrender certificate is filed on or before September 21, 2026, the registry shall list the criminal appeal for hearing on September 22, 2026 before the regular court,” it had said.
Also Read: Bombay High Court finds Tarun Tejpal guilty of rape, sentences him to 10 years in prison
Tejpal was convicted under sections 376 (2)(f) (person who is a guardian or in a position of trust or authority rapes a woman), 354 (a) (sexual harassment) and 354 (b) (using criminal force on a woman with an intent to disrobe her) of the Indian Penal Code.
Tejpal had been accused by a woman colleague of sexually assaulting her on November 7, 2013, in the lift of the Grand Hyatt hotel in Bambolim, Goa. He was arrested in November 2013 and subsequently granted bail in July 2014.
The judgment followed an appeal lodged by the Goa government before the Bombay High Court in 2022, challenging Tejpal’s acquittal by a sessions court.
The sessions court had in 2021 acquitted the former Tehelka editor-in-chief, holding that the woman’s phone messages to Tejpal established that she was “neither traumatised nor terrified.” The decision after the trial at the sessions level that had lasted for four years came under severe criticism from the High Court, which called the order “perverse” and “untenable”.
An apology email sent by Tejpal to the survivor after the alleged incident served as one of the key pieces of evidence examined during the appeal.
Senior advocate Aabad Ponda, appearing for Tejpal, argued that the woman had cooked up the narrative to secure a Rs 1 lakh fellowship grant for a book on violence against women. He also questioned her post-incident conduct, including her decision to continue working at Tehelka.
Appearing for the Goa government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta countered this, submitting that there are no standard behavioural norms that survivors of assault can be expected to follow.
“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 (crime). This court must give out a clear message to society that when a girl says no, it means no. A no means a no,” Mehta went on to argue.
After Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar dismissed the defence’s arguments and delivered a verdict in favour of the survivor, Tejpal appealed for leniency, citing his age.
“I’m 62, and I believe I am a victim. I have a wife, and there’s not much else to say. All that I can say is we can go and appeal. Please be lenient for me. Rest all facts are placed on record,” Tejpal was quoted as pleading.
Advocate Ponda had also sought leniency given the 13-year duration of the case and requested an eight-week stay on the conviction order to enable an appeal before the Supreme Court. In the end, he managed to gain his client four weeks before surrender.
Also Read: Woman said ‘No’ but ‘consensual act’, says Karnataka High Court while quashing ‘date-rape’ case
