The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court handed a 10-year rigorous imprisonment to Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal after convicting him of raping a junior colleague at a Goa resort 13 years ago. Setting aside the 2021 judgment of the trial court that had acquitted him, the High Court directed Tejpal to surrender before Goa Police within four weeks.

The High Court, however, did not cite any reason for the verdict. A detailed order in the case is awaited. The case dates back to November 2013, when a Tehelka employee accused Tejpal of raping her in the elevator of a Goa resort during the magazine’s annual Thinkfest event.

The High Court’s quantum of punishment was pronounced soon after Tejpal rushed to the Supreme Court the moment he was convicted in the morning. Tejpal had sought a suspension of the conviction order for a week.

In the afternoon, when the High Court handed him the 10-year sentence, it allowed Tejpal four weeks to surrender. That will give Tejpal time to pursue or amend his petition in the Supreme Court.