Setback for Tarun Tejpal, convicted for sexually abusing colleague, overturns trial court’s verdict

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has found former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal guilty in the case of sexually abusing his junior colleague. With this, the high court has overturned the acquittal of Tarun Tejpal by the trial court in 2021. The Goa government had approached the high court against the trial court verdict. The division bench comprising Justice Dr Neela Gokhale and Justice Amit Jamsandekar delivered the verdict after detailed arguments from both sides.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the state government, seeking the quashing of the acquittal order. Senior advocate Abad Ponda appeared for Tejpal. The complaint alleged that Tejpal sexually abused her inside a hotel lift during the 'Thinkfest' event held in Goa in November 2013.

The investigation in the case was completed and the trial began in 2017. In 2021, the court acquitted Tarun Tejpal. However, the state government approached the high court with an appeal against this verdict. The Solicitor General pointed that it was a serious error by the sessions court to assess the complainant's behavior based on preconceived notions about how a victim of sexual assault should behave.

The trial court had stated in its order that there was no behavior on the part of the complainant that could have been a natural manifestation of survival. Tushar Mehta argued that there was no standard on how a survivor should react. He also pointed in the court that the reactions of each person will vary depending on their education, personality, social background and circumstances.

After the verdict of finding him guilty, Tushar Mehta demanded that Tejpal be arrested immediately. ‘The victim was only his daughter's age and still he committed the crime. He was a father figure to the victim. Therefore, he should not have indulged in such an act. He went ahead even after the victim refused. The court should send a clear message to the society that when a girl says 'no', it means 'no',’ argued Tushar Mehta.