Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday convicted former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal in the 2013 rape case involving his former colleague, overturning the Goa trial court’s 2021 judgment that had acquitted him. The verdict marks a significant development in one of India’s most high-profile sexual assault cases, more than 13 years after the alleged incident.

High Court overturns 2021 acquittal

A division bench of the Bombay High Court reversed the acquittal granted by a Goa sessions court in May 2021 and held Tejpal guilty of rape and outraging the modesty of the complainant. The High Court found merit in the Goa government’s appeal challenging the trial court’s verdict.

The 2021 acquittal had drawn widespread criticism, prompting the Goa government to challenge the verdict before the High Court. During the appeal, the state argued that the trial court had misread evidence and adopted an erroneous approach while evaluating the complainant’s testimony.

Case dates back to 2013 Goa incident

The case stems from allegations made by a former junior colleague, who accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting and raping her inside a hotel elevator during a Tehelka-organised event in Goa in November 2013.

Following the allegations, Goa Police registered a case, and Tejpal was charged under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code related to rape and sexual assault. He had consistently denied the allegations throughout the trial.

Legal battle spanned over a decade

The case has gone through multiple stages of judicial scrutiny over the past 13 years. While the Goa trial court acquitted Tejpal in 2021, the state government appealed against the verdict before the Bombay High Court.

With Thursday’s judgment, the High Court has overturned the acquittal and convicted Tejpal, bringing a major legal turnaround in the long-running case. The detailed sentencing order and further legal proceedings are expected to follow.

Significant ruling in a high-profile case

The judgment is being viewed as a significant development in a case that has remained under public and legal scrutiny for more than a decade. It also underscores the appellate court’s power to reassess evidence and overturn acquittals where it finds legal or factual errors in the trial court’s findings.