Former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal has approached the Supreme Court to challenge his conviction and 10-year prison sentence in a 2013 sexual assault case, coming shortly after the Goa government petitioned the apex court seeking an enhanced life sentence.
The appeal against the August 6 judgment of the Bombay High Court was filed on Thursday through advocate Aditya Samaddar. The high court had convicted the 62-year-old journalist of rape and sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, reversing a trial court decision from five years ago that had acquitted him.
Goa Government Seeks Enhanced Penalty
In a separate petition before the top court, the Goa government argued that the 10-year sentence handed down by the high court is grossly disproportionate to the severity and nature of the offences committed by Tejpal. Prosecutors contended that the case merits imprisonment for life.
The conviction stems from an incident during a 2013 event organized by Tehelka magazine in Goa, where Tejpal was accused of raping a junior colleague inside a hotel elevator. Tejpal has consistently denied the charges, claiming he was a target of political victimhood.
