'I Have a Wife, Please Be Lenient': Tarun Tejpal Seeks Leniency As Court Convicts Him In Sexual Assault Case
News india 'I Have a Wife, Please Be Lenient': Tarun Tejpal Appeals For Mercy As Court Convicts Him In Sexual Assault Case 'I Have a
News india 'I Have a Wife, Please Be Lenient': Tarun Tejpal Appeals For Mercy As Court Convicts Him In Sexual Assault Case 'I Have a Wife, Please Be Lenient': Tarun Tejpal Appeals For Mercy As Court Convicts Him In Sexual Assault Case Published By, Last Updated: August 06, 2026, 11:31 IST Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal pleaded for leniency as the Bombay High Court convicted him in the 2013 Goa sexual assault case. Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal appealed for leniency before the Bombay High Court after being convicted in the 2013 Goa sexual assault case, saying, "I have a wife... Please be lenient with me." (Photo: AFP) Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal on Thursday appealed for leniency before the Bombay High Court’s Goa bench as he was convicted in the 2013 Goa sexual assault case involving a junior colleague, telling the court that he believed he was “a victim" and requesting a compassionate view while deciding his sentence. A division bench of Justice Dr Neela Gokhale and Justice Amit Jamsandekar earlier in the day convicted Tejpal after setting aside a 2021 sessions court judgment that had acquitted him in the case. He was held guilty under Sections 376(2)(f), 376(2)(k), 354A and 354B of the Indian Penal Code. The court is hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence separately. Appearing before the bench, Tejpal personally addressed the judges and pleaded for leniency. “I am 62, and I believe I am a victim.
I have a wife, and that’s not much else to say. All that I can say is we can go and appeal. Please be lenient with me. The rest of the facts are placed on record," Tejpal told the court. Defence Seeks Leniency, Stay On Conviction Senior Advocate Aabad Ponda, appearing for Tejpal, urged the High Court to take a lenient view while imposing the sentence, arguing that the alleged offence dates back more than 13 years. He also pointed out that there has been no other case or FIR registered against Tejpal. #WATCH | Panaji, Goa | Tehelka magazine Founder Tarun Tejpal leaves from the court premises, after being convicted in the 2013 sexual assault case by Bombay High Court at Goa. The pronouncement of sentence at 1430 hours today. pic.twitter.com/4pPTMnXRZG— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2026 Ponda further requested the court to stay the conviction order for at least eight weeks to allow Tejpal to approach the Supreme Court, noting that the High Court’s verdict had reversed an earlier acquittal. State Opposes Plea For Mercy In Tarun Tejpal Case Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Goa government, opposed the plea for leniency, arguing that the nature of the offence warranted a strong message from the court. “Despite the victim being a girl of his daughter’s age, he committed an offence. He was a father figure and should not have indulged in this.
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