Indian court sentences high-profile journalist to 10 years for rape

An Indian court has sentenced prominent journalist Tarun Tejpal, 63, to 10 years in prison for raping a junior colleague in 2013. The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court overturned a previous acquittal from 2021, also imposing a fine of $5,250. Tejpal, who has denied the allegations and stated he will appeal the conviction to the Supreme Court, was accused of the assault in a hotel lift during a magazine event. The incident occurred during a period of heightened public concern over sexual violence against women in India. Tejpal was given two weeks to surrender to authorities.

An Indian court has convicted Tarun Tejpal, the 63-year-old founder and former editor of Tehelka magazine, of raping a junior colleague. The conviction by the Bombay high court overturns his 2021 acquittal by a Goa court. Tejpal was accused of the assault in the lift of a five-star hotel in Goa in November 2013. He was arrested and spent seven months in jail before being granted bail by the supreme court. The Goa government had challenged the initial acquittal. This case gained national attention during a period of increased scrutiny over India's handling of sexual assault cases. Tejpal denies the accusations and can appeal the verdict.

The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court has convicted Indian journalist Tarun Tejpal in a 2013 rape case, overturning a 2021 trial court verdict that had cleared him of all charges. Tejpal was arrested in 2013 and spent seven months in jail before being granted bail by the Supreme Court. In 2021, a Goa sessions court dismissed all charges, with the judge's observations about the survivor's demeanor shortly after the alleged assault drawing criticism. The Goa government appealed this acquittal to the high court. Tejpal had previously alleged the case was a "political vendetta" and urged examination of CCTV footage.