India court convicts former top editor in rape case

Tarun Tejpal, 63, founder and former editor of Tehelka magazine, was accused of raping the journalist in the lift of a five-star hotel in the western coastal state of Goa during an event in November 2013.

He was arrested and spent seven months in jail until the Supreme Court granted him bail.

In 2021, a trial court in Goa acquitted Tejpal of charges including rape, sexual harassment and wrongful restraint.

The acquittal was challenged by the Goa government before the Bombay High Court, which set aside the trial court's verdict and convicted Tejpal on Thursday.

"The accused has been convicted," Goa Police investigator Sunita Sawant, who led the probe, told reporters after the verdict.

"This is a sentence where a girl has stood up for her rights... so this judgement is very important for women who are working in any sector."

He will be sentenced later on Thursday.

Tejpal, who has denied the accusations, can appeal against the verdict in a higher court.

The case emerged at a time when India's handling of sexual assault cases was under intense scrutiny following the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old student on a New Delhi bus in December 2012.

That attack triggered nationwide protests and international outrage, and prompted the government to strengthen the country's rape laws.

Tejpal's case severely damaged the magazine's authority and credibility, as the publication had historically championed women's rights and social justice.

While Tehelka continues to operate under new leadership, it has failed to regain the influence it enjoyed before the 2013 case.