Tehelka ex-editor Tarun Tejpal moves Supreme Court against conviction in 2013 sexual assault case

Former Tehelka magazine editor Tarun Tejpal has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court to challenge his conviction in a 2013 sexual assault case. The high court had sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in August, overturning his previous acquittal by the trial court. The appeal was filed by Tejpal's advocate, Aditya Samaddar, following the Goa government's request for a life sentence, arguing that the high court's sentence was too lenient.

The 62-year-old was convicted for allegedly raping a junior colleague inside a hotel elevator in Goa on November 7 and 8, 2013. Tejpal claimed he was a political victim, while he pleaded not guilty to the charges, which included rape, sexual harassment, and wrongful confinement. The Goa Sessions Court acquitted Tejpal in May 2021 due to a lack of medical evidence and the absence of messages supporting the complaintant's trauma claims.