An Indian court has convicted former Tehelka magazine editor Tarun Tejpal in a high-profile rape case, overturning his acquittal nearly five years after a trial court cleared him of all charges.
The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court on Thursday found veteran journalist Tarun Tejpal guilty of raping and sexually harassing a former colleague, reversing his 2021 acquittal in one of India’s most closely watched sexual assault cases.
The court convicted Tejpal under provisions of Indian law relating to rape and sexual harassment. His sentencing is expected later on Thursday, while he retains the right to challenge the verdict before the Supreme Court.
The case dates back to November 2013, when the woman, whose identity is protected under Indian law, accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting her inside an elevator during a Tehelka magazine event in the coastal state of Goa.
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Tejpal was arrested shortly after the allegations emerged and spent seven months in custody before being granted bail by India’s Supreme Court. In 2021, a trial court acquitted him of all charges, prompting the Goa government to appeal the decision.
During Thursday’s hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Goa government, urged the court to impose the maximum punishment.
“This court must give a clear message to society that when a girl says no, it means no. A no means a no,” Mehta told the court, according to LiveLaw.
Tejpal maintained his innocence after the verdict and said he would challenge the ruling.
“All I can say is I am 62. I believe I am a political victim. I am a father of two daughters. I have a wife. All we can say is we will go up and appeal,” he told the court, according to legal website Bar and Bench. His lawyer also appealed for leniency ahead of sentencing.
The conviction marks a major development in a case that has remained under public scrutiny for more than a decade and became one of India’s most prominent workplace sexual assault cases.
