Former 'Tehelka' editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal surrenders in rape case
What's the story
Former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal has surrendered before a Mapusa court in Goa, The Times of India reported. This comes after the Bombay High Court sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a junior colleague in 2013. The apex court had asked Tejpal to surrender within three weeks after the Bombay High Court's decision on August 6, which reversed his earlier acquittal by a Goa sessions court in May 2021.
Legal proceedings
Tejpal's appeal against conviction to be heard on September 22
Tejpal surrendered after the North Goa Additional Sessions Court rejected his plea for more time.
Initially, he had sought an extension but later agreed to surrender on September 14.
The Supreme Court had earlier dismissed his plea seeking exemption from surrender and granted him three weeks to do so.
His appeal against the Bombay High Court's conviction and sentence will be heard on September 22, subject to filing a surrender certificate by September 21.
Case background
Case dates back to November 2013
The case dates back to November 2013 when a junior woman colleague accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting her inside a hotel elevator during Tehelka's ThinkFest event in Goa.
He was arrested later that month and remained in custody until July 2014, when he was granted bail.
The trial began in 2017, and a Goa Sessions Court acquitted him in May 2021.
Sentence appeal
Goa government challenged the acquittal
The Goa government had challenged the acquittal before the Bombay High Court, which overturned it and convicted Tejpal on August 6.
The High Court sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and did not stay the conviction.
Tejpal then approached the Supreme Court against this verdict and sought exemption from surrender while his appeal was pending.
However, this request was rejected by the apex court on August 25.