Guwahati: Tarun Tejpal, former editor-in-chief of Tehelka, surrendered before a Goa court on Monday and was taken into custody to begin serving his 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence in a 2013 sexual assault case.

Tejpal surrendered before the Additional Sessions Court in Mapusa and was subsequently sent to Central Jail at Colvale in North Goa.

The surrender follows an August order of the Supreme Court, which gave Tejpal three weeks to surrender and serve the prison sentence imposed after the Bombay High Court overturned his acquittal.

A bench headed by Justice Alok Aradhe dismissed Tejpal’s plea seeking exemption from surrendering. The Supreme Court has also scheduled his appeal against the conviction and sentence for hearing on September 22, subject to the submission of a surrender certificate.

The court had directed that if Tejpal submitted the certificate by September 21, his criminal appeal would be listed for hearing the following day.

The Bombay High Court on August 6 convicted Tejpal in connection with the alleged rape of a colleague inside a hotel elevator in Goa in November 2013 during an event organised by Tehelka. The court sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and overturned the trial court’s acquittal.

Tejpal was arrested in November 2013 and spent several weeks in custody before being granted bail.

He was convicted under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 376(2)(f), relating to rape by a person in a position of trust or authority, as well as Sections 354(a) and 354(b), dealing with sexual harassment and assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Tejpal and directed that the amount be paid to the victim.

Tejpal was acquitted by the Additional Sessions Court in Mapusa in May 2021. The trial court had held that the prosecution failed to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt.

The Goa government subsequently challenged the acquittal before the Bombay High Court, arguing that the trial court had incorrectly assessed the evidence.

While overturning the acquittal, the Bombay High Court relied substantially on the victim’s testimony and other evidence, including CCTV footage and emails exchanged after the alleged incident.

The case has since continued through the appellate courts, with Tejpal now beginning his sentence while his appeal remains pending before the Supreme Court.