The Supreme Court on Friday refused to suspend the 10-year sentence awarded to journalist and former journalist Tarun Tejpal by the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court in a 2013 rape case.
However, the apex court admitted his appeal challenging the conviction alongside the state government’s plea seeking an enhancement of his punishment.
A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale stated that, on a prima facie evaluation of prosecution witnesses, evidence, and text messages on record, there were no valid grounds to grant interim bail. Tejpal, who surrendered on September 14 after being acquitted by a Goa trial court in 2021, had sought temporary release ahead of Diwali.
Representing Tejpal, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal argued that the victim’s allegations were inconsistent with CCTV footage and lift timing logs.
Rebutting the defence, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Goa government, highlighted text messages containing Tejpal’s apologies to the victim, emphasising that the victim had no motive to falsely implicate him.
The Bombay High Court had overturned Tejpal’s 2021 acquittal in August, labelling the trial court’s order “perverse” and convicting him under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code. The Supreme Court clarified it was presently evaluating only the suspension of sentence.
