The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court has convicted Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal for the 2013 rape of a former employee. The court set aside a 2021 trial court acquittal, finding Tejpal guilty of rape and sexual harassment under the Indian Penal Code. The incident occurred in a Goa resort elevator during the magazine's annual Thinkfest event.
During the proceedings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that Tejpal, who acted as a father figure to the survivor, committed a serious offense that warrants a clear message to society. Tejpal, 62, pleaded for leniency and requested a stay on the order to facilitate an appeal to the Supreme Court. His legal team had previously argued that the allegations were fabricated and that the survivor's post-incident behavior contradicted claims of trauma.
The High Court is expected to pronounce the quantum of punishment at 2:30 pm. Tejpal remains in custody following the verdict, which concludes a high-profile legal battle that began with his initial arrest in November 2013.
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