Tarun Tejpal convicted in India rape case

An Indian court convicted Tarun Tejpal, the founder and former editor of Tehelka magazine, of raping a junior colleague, overturning his earlier acquittal in a case that drew nationwide attention.

Tejpal, 63, was accused of raping the journalist in the lift of a five-star hotel in Goa during an event in November 2013. He has denied the accusations.

A trial court in Goa acquitted him in 2021 of charges including rape, sexual harassment and wrongful restraint. The Goa government challenged that decision before the Bombay High Court, which set aside the trial court verdict and convicted him on Thursday.

Goa Police investigator Sunita Sawant, who led the probe, told reporters after the verdict that Tejpal had been convicted. He is due to be sentenced later on Thursday and can appeal in a higher court.

The case emerged after India's handling of sexual assault cases came under intense scrutiny following the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old student on a New Delhi bus in December 2012, which led to nationwide protests and changes to the country's rape laws.