Goa moves Supreme Court seeking life imprisonment for Tarun Tejpal in rape case

Goa government has moved the Supreme Court seeking enhancement of sentence to former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal in the 2013 rape case. [State of Goa v. Tarunjit Tejpal]

The State has sought life imprisonment for Tejpal instead of the sentence of ten years imposed on him by the Bombay High Court.

The plea clarified that the State does not want to reopen or challenge findings of conviction recorded by the High Court.

"The challenge is confined to the quantum of sentence and the direction for concurrent operation of sentences. The State relies only upon the findings and circumstances already recorded by the High Court to demonstrate that the sentence imposed is manifestly inadequate," the petition states.

The case dates back to 2013, when Tejpal was accused of sexually assaulting a junior colleague in an elevator of a high-end hotel in Goa.

The Goa Police subsequently registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Tejpal for various offences including rape. 

He was arrested in November 2013 and later released on bail in July 2014. 

The trial against Tejpal commenced in 2017 and lasted for 4 years. In May 2021, the trial court acquitted Tejpal.

The trial judge reasoned that the investigating officer who probed the rape case committed several omissions and the prosecution failed to produce crucial evidence including CCTV footage in her judgment.

The State then challenged the acquittal before the High Court.

The High Court reversed the trial court acquittal on August 6 this year and convicted Tejpal. He was sentenced to imprisonment for 10 years and a fine of over ₹10 lakh.