Panaji, Sept 2026 : Former Tehelka Editor-in-Chief Tarun Tejpal surrendered before a Goa court on Monday and was subsequently taken to Central Jail at Colvale in North Goa to begin serving his 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence in a 2013 sexual assault case.
The 62-year-old journalist's surrender came weeks after the Bombay High Court overturned his acquittal and convicted him of rape and other offences. The development also followed an August 25 order of the Supreme Court directing Tejpal to surrender before his appeal challenging the conviction could be taken up for hearing on merits.
Tejpal appeared before the Additional Sessions Court at Mapusa and submitted himself to the court as directed. He was subsequently sent to Central Jail at Colvale, where he will serve the sentence imposed by the Bombay High Court.
The Supreme Court, while hearing Tejpal's plea seeking urgent relief from surrender, had directed him to submit a surrender certificate on or before September 22. The court made it clear that his appeal against the conviction and 10-year sentence would be considered on merits only after the surrender certificate was filed.
The order was passed by a single-judge bench of Justice Alok Aradhe after hearing arguments from senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Tejpal, and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Goa government.
During the hearing, Sibal submitted that the Bombay High Court had granted Tejpal four weeks' time on August 6 to surrender. He also pointed out that Tejpal had remained on bail for most of the proceedings, except during the initial six months following his arrest, and argued that he was now a senior citizen.
Sibal further relied on the Supreme Court (Enlargement of Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) Act, 1970, arguing that the apex court could consider Tejpal's request for exemption from surrender along with his appeal.
The Goa government opposed the plea. Solicitor General Mehta argued that Tejpal's appeal could not be taken up unless he surrendered and produced the necessary surrender certificate or obtained an exemption from surrender.
Mehta also contended that Tejpal's reliance on the 1970 legislation was misplaced, arguing that it was temporary legislation and that appellate jurisdiction was now governed by the applicable statutory provisions.
After hearing both sides, Justice Aradhe declined to grant the relief sought by Tejpal and asked his counsel how much time would be required for him to surrender. Sibal sought two weeks, following which the Supreme Court recorded the request and directed Tejpal to surrender within that period.
The court further ordered that if the surrender certificate was filed on or before September 22, the matter would be listed for hearing on the merits of Tejpal's appeal.
The Goa government has separately approached the Supreme Court seeking enhancement of the 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence awarded to Tejpal by the Bombay High Court.
The case relates to allegations that Tejpal sexually assaulted a junior colleague inside an elevator at a luxury hotel in Goa during an event in November 2013. Following the allegations, Goa Police registered an FIR against him on charges including rape.
Tejpal was arrested in November 2013 after a local court rejected his anticipatory bail plea. The Supreme Court subsequently granted him regular bail in July 2014, and he remained out on bail for most of the proceedings.
In May 2021, a sessions court in Goa acquitted Tejpal, holding that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt. The trial court had also pointed to alleged lapses in the investigation.
The Goa government challenged the acquittal before the Bombay High Court, arguing that the sessions court had incorrectly assessed the evidence and reached an erroneous conclusion.
On August 6, the Bombay High Court overturned the acquittal and convicted Tejpal under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 376(2)(f) and 376(2)(k) relating to rape, Section 354A concerning sexual harassment, and Section 354B concerning assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to disrobe.
A division bench comprising Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar subsequently sentenced Tejpal to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment while granting him time to surrender.
With his surrender on Monday, Tejpal has now been taken into custody to serve the sentence, while his challenge against the Bombay High Court verdict remains pending before the Supreme Court. The apex court is expected to consider the appeal on merits after the surrender certificate is placed on record within the stipulated timeframe.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
