Supreme Court rejects Tarun Tejpal’s plea in rape case, tells him to surrender in 3 weeks
The court posts Tejpal’s appeal challenging his conviction and sentence for September 22, subject to the filing of the surrender certificate
Dismissing former Tehelka editor and the 2013 Goa rape case convict Tarun Tejpal’s plea for exemption from surrender, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered him to surrender within three weeks.
A Bench of Justice Alok Aradhe posted Tejpal’s appeal challenging his conviction and sentence of 10-year rigorous imprisonment for hearing on September 22, subject to the filing of the surrender certificate.
"Appellant (Tejpal) shall surrender within a period of 3 weeks and file his surrender certificate. In case the surrender certificate is filed on or before September 22, the office is directed to list the matter in the court on September 22," Justice Aradhe ordered.
On behalf of the convict, senior counsel Kapil Sibal submitted that he was not required to surrender for his appeal to be heard by the top court as he was granted four weeks to surrender by the Bombay High Court on August 6. Sibal pointed out that Tejpal has been on bail throughout the proceedings, except for six months, and that he is a senior citizen.
Sibal’s submissions were contested by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the State of Goa, who insisted that Tejpal's appeal cannot be taken up for hearing unless he surrendered or his plea seeking exemption from surrender was allowed. He said the merits of the case were relevant as Tejpal had been convicted of committing an aggravated form of rape.
The top court rejected Tejpal’s plea for exemption from surrender. Claiming to be a political victim, Tejpal had on August 20 moved the Supreme Court challenging the August 6 Bombay High Court order convicting him of raping his colleague and sentencing him to 10-year imprisonment.
His appeal came barely two days after the Goa Government filed a petition in the top court seeking his 10-year rigorous imprisonment in the 2013 sexual assault case to be enhanced to life imprisonment. The state government contended that the sentence of 10-year rigorous imprisonment imposed by the high court was "grossly disproportionate to the nature and gravity of the offences" committed by him.
The Goa Government, however, clarified that it did not want to reopen findings of conviction. On August 6, the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court convicted Tejpal of raping a junior colleague in 2013 and sentenced him to 10-year rigorous imprisonment as it reversed a Goa trial court’s 2021 verdict, terming it “untenable”, “perverse” and “directly contrary to the evidence on record”.
