Goa moves SC, seeking life term for ex-Tehelka editor Tejpal
What's the story
The Goa government has moved the Supreme Court seeking life imprisonment instead of the 10-year rigorous imprisonment awarded to former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal by the Bombay High Court. Earlier this month, the Bombay High Court had sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of over ₹10 lakh in the 2013 rape case, overturning an acquittal by the Goa Sessions Court in 2021.
Sentence rationale
HC said both parties may have 'moved on in life'
Tejpal was convicted for sexually assaulting a junior colleague in a hotel lift in Goa in 2013 during an event organized by Tehelka.
On August 6, a bench of Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar had given Tejpal the minimum sentence prescribed for rape.
They took into account that 13 years had passed since the incident and that Tejpal had no previous criminal record.
The court said, "Both parties (the victim and Tejpal) may have moved on in life."
Appeal filed
Goa government's appeal to SC
The Goa government has argued that Tejpal misused his position of authority over the victim, who was his employee and friend's daughter.
The state also argued that "passage of time cannot operate to the benefit of the offender or become a premium for the delay in the administration of justice, particularly at the cost of the victim."
"The sentence imposed is grossly disproportionate to the nature and gravity of the offenses committed by the Respondent," the government told the SC.
Legal proceedings
Timeline of the case
Tejpal was arrested in November 2013 and released on bail in July 2014. His trial began in 2017, but he was acquitted by a trial court in May 2021 due to alleged deficiencies in the investigation.
The Goa government then challenged this acquittal before the Bombay High Court, which overturned it on August 6.
Tejpal has denied all allegations and plans to appeal his conviction before the Supreme Court.