Tarun Tejpal, the former editor-in-chief of the renowned news magazine Tehelka, surrendered to the Mapusa court in Goa on Monday. This follows a directive from the Supreme Court regarding a rape case dating back to 2013. Tejpal’s surrender marks a significant development in a legal battle that has drawn considerable public attention.
Deadline Approaches for Former Editor’s Surrender
The top court has mandated that the 63-year-old former editor must surrender within three weeks. This deadline is set to expire tomorrow as the court prepares to hear his appeal against the conviction.
Tejpal maintains he is a victim. Last month, the Supreme Court rejected Tejpal’s plea seeking exemption from surrendering before his plea filed against the Bombay High Court judgment convicting him is listed in the top court. The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court on August 6 convicted Tejpal and sentenced him to 10 years in prison for raping a former colleague in 2013, overturning his 2021 acquittal in the case.
Tejpal had sought exemption from surrendering on the ground that his appeal should first be listed and heard by the Supreme Court. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Tejpal, argued that the top court has the power to dispense with the requirement of surrender in an appropriate case and list the criminal appeal even where the accused has not surrendered. Solicitor General of India (SGI) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state of Goa, opposed the plea and submitted that the exemption application had to be considered in light of the merits of the case.
He relied on the findings of the Bombay High Court and submitted that the case involved an aggravated offence of rape for which Tejpal had been sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
