Former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal has drawn parallels between his own legal battle and the continued incarceration of activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam after the Bombay High Court's Goa bench overturned his acquittal and convicted him of raping a former junior colleague in the 2013 case. Declaring that he would challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court, Tejpal alleged he had been targeted because of Tehelka's investigative journalism and claimed the prosecution against him was driven by political vendetta.
The High Court convicted him of rape and sentenced him to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment.
Tejpal Alleges Political Vendetta
Speaking after the High Court verdict, Tejpal said he would move the Supreme Court against his conviction. He claimed that the case against him was motivated by revenge over Tehelka's past investigative work, arguing that those who challenged the establishment had faced prolonged legal action.
Referring to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, Tejpal said both remained in jail for years, adding that those aligned with the ruling dispensation were acquitted while critics continued to face prosecution. He alleged that Tehelka's reportage had caused political damage to powerful interests, resulting in what he described as a sustained campaign against him over the past 13 years.
#WATCH | Goa | After being convicted in 2013 sexual assault case, Tehelka magazine Founder Tarun Tejpal says, "We will surely approach the Supreme Court. They are after me due to political vendetta and work done by Tehelka. We fought the case for 7.5 years in the trial court and… pic.twitter.com/9A2u9wnCQD
— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2026
Tejpal also expressed confidence in the judiciary, saying he believed the Supreme Court would examine the evidence fairly and that his legal team would present its case in full.
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High Court Overturns Acquittal
The Bombay High Court's Goa bench on Thursday set aside a May 2021 sessions court judgment that had acquitted Tejpal in the 2013 rape case involving a former junior colleague. The High Court found the 62-year-old journalist guilty of raping the complainant inside the elevator of a luxury hotel in Goa during an event organised by Tehelka.
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