The Goa government has moved the Supreme Court seeking enhancement of the sentence awarded to former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal in the 2013 sexual assault case, seeking life imprisonment instead of the 10-year rigorous imprisonment imposed by the Bombay High Court.

The State has made it clear that its challenge is limited to the quantum of sentence and does not seek to disturb the High Court’s finding of guilt.

A Division Bench of the Bombay High Court’s Goa Bench, comprising Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar, had on August 6 overturned Tejpal’s acquittal by the trial court and convicted him in the 2013 case. The court subsequently sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.

While declining the State’s plea for the maximum punishment of life imprisonment, the High Court noted that the incident had occurred nearly 13 years ago and that there was no material indicating any subsequent criminal misconduct by Tejpal. It consequently imposed the minimum sentence prescribed for the offence.

The case relates to allegations that Tejpal sexually assaulted a junior colleague inside an elevator at a luxury hotel in Goa in November 2013 during an event organised by Tehelka.

A Goa Sessions Court had acquitted Tejpal in 2021. The State subsequently challenged the acquittal before the Bombay High Court, which eventually convicted him under provisions of the Indian Penal Code relating to rape, sexual harassment and assault with intent to disrobe.

The rape provision under which Tejpal was convicted prescribed a minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and permitted the court to impose a sentence extending to life imprisonment.

The Goa government has now approached the Supreme Court seeking enhancement of the punishment to life imprisonment.