An Indian court has sentenced former Tehelka magazine editor Tarun Tejpal to 10 years in prison after the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court overturned his 2021 acquittal in a decade-old rape case.
The court convicted Tejpal under provisions of Indian law relating to rape and sexual harassment and ordered the prison terms to run concurrently.
It also directed him to pay fines totaling more than one million rupees.
Tejpal has denied the allegations and said he would appeal the ruling before the Supreme Court.
The case stems from allegations made by a former colleague, whose identity is protected under Indian law, that Tejpal sexually assaulted her inside a lift during Tehelka's international conference in Goa in November 2013.
Tejpal was arrested later that year and spent seven months in jail before being granted bail by the Supreme Court.
A Goa sessions court 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 reversed the acquittal and convicted him.
Before sentencing, Tejpal said, "I believe I am a political victim," while also requesting leniency through his lawyer.
He had previously denied the allegations and maintained that he would pursue further legal remedies.
The case attracted nationwide attention when it first emerged in 2013, during a period of heightened public scrutiny over sexual violence in India following nationwide protests after the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder.
During the appeal, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued for the maximum punishment, saying, "This court must give a clear message to society that when a girl says no, it means no."
Following the conviction, Goa police investigator Sunita Sawant described the judgment as significant for women in the workplace, stating, "This is a sentence where a girl has stood up for her rights … so this judgment is very important for women who are working in any sector."
The conviction also marks another major development for Tehelka, the investigative magazine co-founded by Tejpal, whose reputation was significantly affected after the allegations surfaced.