Goa bench finds Tarun Tejpal guilty of sexual assault
Tarun Tejpal, former Tehelka editor, has been found guilty by the Bombay High Court's Goa Bench of sexually assaulting a junior colleague back in 2013.
This ruling reverses his earlier acquittal from 2021 after the state challenged it.
Now 62, Tejpal described himself as "a victim" and asked for leniency as the court decides his sentence.
Tejpal faces 10 years to life
Tejpal was convicted under laws covering rape by a person in authority, sexual harassment, and using force to disrobe, all stemming from an incident at a Goa hotel during ThinkFest in November 2013.
He could face at least 10 years to life behind bars.
During sentencing arguments, his lawyer pushed for the minimum penalty while Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Goa government, insisted that "no means no" and called for maximum punishment.
The court is now weighing both sides before announcing its final decision.