SUPREME COURT SEEKS GOA POLICE RESPONSE ON TARUN TEJPAL’S APPEAL AGAINST CONVICTION

September 25, 2026

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the Goa Police on journalist and former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal’s appeal challenging his conviction and 10-year prison sentence in the 2013 rape case. A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Prasanna B. Varale issued notice on his plea.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Tejpal, told the court that the case involved the reversal of his earlier acquittal by the Bombay High Court and urged that his request for bail be heard. The bench said it would provide a date for hearing the plea.

The Supreme Court also issued notice to Tejpal on a separate appeal filed by the Goa government seeking enhancement of his sentence from 10 years to life imprisonment. The state has argued that the punishment imposed by the High Court was inadequate considering the offences for which he was convicted.

The Bombay High Court on August 6 overturned Tejpal’s 2021 acquittal by the trial court and convicted him in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a junior colleague at a hotel in Goa in November 2013. It sentenced him to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of more than ₹10 lakh. Tejpal subsequently surrendered before a Goa court and is currently serving the sentence.

The Supreme Court’s latest proceedings will consider both Tejpal’s challenge to the conviction and sentence and the Goa government’s plea for an enhanced sentence.