Supreme Court Reserves Order On Tarun Tejpal's Plea Seeking Exemption From Surrender In Rape Case
The Supreme Court today(August 24) said that it will pass orders on former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal's application for exemption from surrendering after the Bombay High Court convicted and sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in the 2013 rape case.
The matter was heard by a single judge, Justice Alok Aradhe. At the outset, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta(for the State of Goa) argued that the special leave petition is not admissible since the convict has not filed a separate application seeking exemption from surrender or shown a certificate that he has already surrendered as per Order XXII Rule 5 of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013.
Mehta, relying on the Supreme Court judgments, stated that where the appeal has been filed, it shall state whether the convict has surrendered or not, and where he has not surrendered, the appeal should not be accepted unless accompanied by an exemption application from surrendering.
Countering this, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal(for Tejpal) said the rule doesn't apply to his case as the High Court already granted him four weeks to surrender. After brief arguments, the Court orally stated that it will pass orders.
This comes days after the Goa Government also approached the Supreme Court for enhancement of punishment to life imprisonment while not challenging the finding of conviction.
The Bombay High Court's Goa bench, comprising Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar, had on August 6 overturned Tejpal's acquittal by the trial court and convicted him in the 2013 case. The court subsequently sentenced him to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment.
The High Court had noted that the incident took place 13 years ago and that there was no report of any subsequent criminal misconduct by Tejpal. It consequently declined the Goa government's request for the maximum punishment of life imprisonment and imposed the minimum sentence prescribed for the rape conviction.
The case arose from allegations that Tejpal sexually assaulted a junior colleague inside an elevator at a luxury hotel in Goa during an event organised by Tehelka in November 2013. The Goa Sessions Court had acquitted him in 2021, following which the State challenged the acquittal before the Bombay High Court.
The High Court convicted Tejpal under provisions of the Indian Penal Code relating to rape, sexual harassment and assault with intent to disrobe. The rape provision under which he was convicted carried a minimum punishment of 10 years and permitted a sentence extending to life imprisonment.
Case Details: TARUNJIT TEJPAL Vs THE STATE OF GOA|Diary No. 50909 / 2026