Supreme Court Refuses to Suspend Tarun Tejpal’s 10-Year Sentence in 2013 Rape Case

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to suspend the 10-year prison sentence awarded to former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal in a 2013 rape case, dealing a setback to his plea for relief while his appeal against the conviction remains pending.

A bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale declined to grant his application seeking suspension of the sentence after hearing arguments from lawyers representing Tejpal and the Goa government. The bench said it was not inclined to suspend the sentence.

The development follows the Bombay High Court’s August 6 verdict, which overturned Tejpal’s acquittal by a trial court and convicted him of raping a junior colleague inside a hotel elevator in Goa in November 2013. The incident took place during an event organised by Tehelka magazine.

The High Court subsequently sentenced the 62-year-old journalist to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.

Tejpal had challenged the High Court’s verdict before the Supreme Court on August 20, seeking to overturn his conviction. He also approached the top court for suspension of his sentence while the legal challenge was being considered.

Tejpal has maintained that he was a victim of political vendetta. However, with the Supreme Court refusing to suspend his sentence, his request for interim relief has been rejected. His challenge to the conviction remains a separate matter before the apex court.