Former Magazine Editor Loses Acquittal as Court Imposes Decade‑Long Prison Term

A three‑judge bench of the Bombay High Court has sentenced former "Tahalka" editor Tarun Tejpal to ten years of rigorous imprisonment, overturning his earlier acquittal. The court convicted him under IPC sections 376(2)(F) and 376(2)(K) for rape, and sections 354A and 354B for sexual harassment.

Justice Neela Gokhale and Justice Amit Jamsandekar delivered the verdict, allowing Tejpal a fortnight to surrender to the authorities. During the proceedings, Tejpal’s counsel asked for an eight‑week stay on the order to appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing that the judgment reverses a prior exoneration and that no other criminal case is pending against him. The counsel also appealed for leniency, describing Tejpal as feeling victimised by the legal system.

The Solicitor General countered, emphasizing the necessity of a strong deterrent against sexual violence and reiterating that a woman's "no" must be respected. The case is linked to a November 2013 incident at a luxury hotel in Goa, where a junior colleague alleges Tejpal sexually harassed her inside a lift during an event.

Goa police filed an FIR for rape and related offences, leading to Tejpal’s arrest after a bail application was rejected. He later obtained regular bail from the Supreme Court in July 2014, only to be cleared by the Goa sessions judge in May 2021 due to alleged evidentiary gaps, such as missing CCTV footage. The state government appealed the acquittal, asserting that the trial court misread the record and ignored crucial evidence, including an alleged apology email sent by Tejpal after the allegations were raised.