New Delhi, August 25: The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the plea of former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal seeking exemption from surrender in a 2013 rape case. The court has directed him to surrender within two weeks.
Justice Alok Aradhe’s single bench instructed Tejpal to submit a surrender certificate by September 22. The court clarified that the hearing on his appeal against conviction and the ten-year rigorous imprisonment sentence will only occur after he surrenders.
The Supreme Court issued this order after hearing arguments from senior advocate Kapil Sibal representing Tejpal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta representing the Goa government.
Kapil Sibal informed the court that the Bombay High Court had granted Tejpal four weeks to surrender on August 6. He noted that Tejpal has been on bail throughout the trial, except for the first six months, and is now a senior citizen. Sibal referenced the Supreme Court (Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction Extension) Act of 1970, stating that the plea for exemption from surrender could be heard alongside the appeal.
In contrast, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed this, asserting that the appeal cannot be heard until Tejpal surrenders or is granted exemption. He also argued that the 1970 law does not apply in this case.
After considering the arguments, the Supreme Court dismissed Tejpal’s exemption plea. The court inquired how much time he would need to surrender, to which Kapil Sibal requested two weeks. The court accepted this request and ordered him to surrender within that timeframe.
The Supreme Court stated that if the surrender certificate is submitted by September 22, the hearing on Tejpal’s appeal will take place on that day based on merits.
It is noteworthy that on August 6, the Bombay High Court overturned a 2021 acquittal by the sessions court, convicting Tarun Tejpal of rape and other offenses. The High Court sentenced him to ten years of rigorous imprisonment and granted him time to surrender.
This case dates back to November 2013 when a junior colleague accused Tejpal of sexual assault and rape in a lift at a luxury hotel in Goa. The Goa police registered a case based on this complaint, leading to Tejpal’s arrest in November 2013. The Supreme Court granted him regular bail in July 2014.
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