'One of them': Tarun Tejpal compares himself to Umar Khalid
What's the story
Tarun Tejpal, the former editor of Tehelka magazine, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court on Thursday after finding him guilty of raping a junior colleague in 2013. After his conviction, Tejpal claimed he had been wrongfully accused and compared his situation to those of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who are imprisoned in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots case.
Legal proceedings
Tehelka's reportage might have caused some political damage: Tejpal
"We fought the case for 7.5 years in the trial court and got acquittal. Those with them are acquitted, but they are after those who wrote against them. Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam are in jail for last so many years. Surendra Gadling, arrested in connection with Bhima Koregaon case, is in jail. I am also one of them."
"Tehelka's reportage might have caused some political damage or harmed their vested interests," Tejpal said.
Twitter Post
Disappointed with verdict, Tejpal says
#WATCH | Goa | Tehelka magazine Founder Tarun Tejpal sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment in the 2013 sexual assault case
— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2026
He says, "We are very much disappointed with the verdict. We believe that the evidence in the case has not been properly appreciated. We believe there is… pic.twitter.com/VX4pYxojQZ
Sting
'Operation West End' by Tehelka
While Tejpal did not specify which reportage he was referring to, Tehelka had conducted a sting, 'Operation West End,' in 2001 to expose corruption in defense deals.
Reporters impersonated officials of a non-existent international arms company, proposing to sell thermal cameras and other equipment to the army. The cameras captured their dealings and bribes received by politicians and Army officers.
Then Defense Minister George Fernandes was forced to resign along with then BJP president Bangaru Laxman and several army officers.
Victim's family
Survivor's mother expressed relief
He said they will surely approach the Supreme Court, saying, "There is so much evidence...I should have been acquitted 10 times over."
The survivor had accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting her twice in a hotel lift during ThinkFest in 2013. Tejpal was arrested on November 30 that year.
The survivor's mother expressed relief at the verdict, saying it lifted a heavy weight from her heart.
"It was painful long years and took lot of strength to keep going," she said.
HC
HC court described trial court's findings as 'perverse'
With the conviction, the Bombay High Court overturned the trial court's acquittal of Tejpal in 2021.
The high court sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, saying the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court described the trial court's findings as "perverse," "untenable," and based on unreasonable appreciation of evidence.