Panaji, Goa: The Bombay High Court's Goa Bench on Thursday convicted former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal in the 2013 rape case involving a former junior colleague, overturning his acquittal by a Goa sessions court.

The High Court set aside the May 2021 judgment of the trial court, which had acquitted Tejpal of all charges. The Goa government had challenged that verdict before the High Court.

The appeal was heard by a division bench comprising Justice Dr. Neela Gokhale and Justice Amit Jamsandekar. The court had reserved its verdict after concluding hearings last week.

Following the conviction, arguments on the quantum of sentence were taken up, with the sentencing order scheduled to be pronounced later in the day.

During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Goa government, argued that the trial court had erred by judging the complainant's conduct based on preconceived notions of how a survivor of sexual assault should behave. He submitted that there is no universal standard for evaluating the response of a sexual assault survivor, as reactions vary depending on an individual's personality, background, and circumstances.

Tarun Tejpal, who was present in court during the pronouncement of the verdict, sought leniency during the sentencing proceedings. His legal team argued for a reduced sentence, while the prosecution pressed for appropriate punishment.

The case stems from allegations made by a former junior colleague, who accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting her during an event in Goa in 2013. The matter has remained one of the country's most closely followed criminal cases involving a prominent media personality.

The High Court's conviction marks a significant development in the nearly 13-year-old case. The final sentence will be determined by the court after hearing submissions from both sides.