As Tejpal sought leniency, claiming he was a "political victim" and the father of two daughters, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Goa government, pressed for the maximum punishment, saying the case warranted a strong message that "no means no".

Allowing the Goa government's appeal against the trial court verdict, a division bench of Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar said, "We have set aside the judgment and order and convicted Tejpal. We have convicted him under sections 376(2)(f) and (k), 354A, 354B of IPC."

The bench also observed, "We set aside the trial court order of acquittal. The respondent (Tejpal) stands convicted."

Tejpal has been convicted under Sections 376(2)(f) (rape by a person in a position of trust or authority), 354A (sexual harassment) and 354B (assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe a woman) of the IPC. Under Section 376, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, which may extend to life imprisonment.

Appearing before the court after the conviction, Tejpal appealed for mercy.

"There are no facts that I can tell you now because for 13 years we have been putting facts out consistently in the courtrooms. Clearly they don't count for that much. All I can say is I am 62. I believe I am a political victim, I am a father of two daughters. I have a wife. All we can say is we will go up and appeal. My lawyer wants me to request you to be lenient."

Later, speaking to reporters outside the high court, Tejpal said, "We will be appealing against this order. We feel the order is wrong. We will be moving to the Supreme Court against the order."

Talking to reporters outside the high court after the verdict, Tejpal said, "We will be appealing against this order. We feel the order is wrong. We will be moving to the Supreme Court against the order."

His counsel, Aabad Ponda, sought the minimum sentence and requested the court to suspend both the conviction and sentence for at least 10 weeks to enable an appeal before the Supreme Court.

Ponda argued, "He has been on bail since trial and has not ever violated any of the conditions imposed on him. He is a senior citizen."

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, however, urged the court to impose the maximum punishment of life imprisonment, arguing that Tejpal had abused a position of trust and displayed no remorse.

"The convict (Tejpal) was in a position of dominance over the victim. The victim was not just a colleague but also a friend of his daughter. The convict has shown no remorse," Mehta submitted.

He further argued that Tejpal repeated the offence the following day and later questioned the complainant's conduct during the trial and appeal.

"The punishment should commensurate the act. It is high time to send a clear message that no means no. That deterrent message needs to be sent out," Mehta said.

The case stems from allegations that Tejpal sexually assaulted a junior colleague inside a hotel elevator during the ThinkFest event in Goa in November 2013. He was arrested later that month, granted bail in July 2014 and acquitted by a Goa sessions court in May 2021. The trial court had cited investigative lapses and insufficient evidence, including the absence of crucial CCTV footage.

Challenging the acquittal, the Goa government argued before the high court that the trial court had relied on irrelevant material and misread the evidence. During the appeal, Mehta also contended that the sessions court wrongly assessed the complainant's conduct based on preconceived notions of how a sexual assault survivor should behave, maintaining that there is no universal standard for a survivor's response, as it varies according to individual circumstances.

The defence, meanwhile, maintained that the acquittal was supported by CCTV footage, text messages and expert evidence, and argued that the prosecution had failed to establish that any sexual assault had occurred.

Timeline of 2013 sexual assault case against Tarun Tejpal

Here is the timeline of the case:

November 2013: A junior woman colleague alleges that Tejpal sexually assaulted her inside an elevator at a luxury hotel in Bambolim, Goa, where Tehelka was hosting its annual ThinkFest event.

The victim sends a complaint about the incident through an email to then Tehelka's managing editor, Shoma Chaudhury. The email later becomes central to the investigation.

November 20, 2013: Tejpal steps down as editor-in-chief of Tehelka for six months, describing his conduct in an email as an "untoward incident" and "a bad lapse of judgment".

November 22, 2013: Acting suo motu, Goa Police register an FIR against Tejpal after taking cognisance of media reports and contents of the complaint. Tejpal booked for offences including rape and sexual assault under provisions of the Indian Penal Code amended after the 2012 Nirbhaya case.

November 30, 2013: Tejpal surrenders before Goa Crime Branch after Supreme Court declines to grant him anticipatory bail. Tejpal arrested and remanded to judicial custody.

February 2014: Goa Police file an over 2,800-page chargesheet before a court, relying on witness statements, CCTV footage, electronic records and forensic material.

July 1, 2014: Supreme Court grants Tejpal regular bail after seven months in custody. The court directs him to surrender his passport and imposes conditions on his release.

September 2017: Trial commences before the additional sessions court at Mapusa in Goa after framing of charges. Tejpal pleads not guilty.

2019-2021: Prosecution examines 71 witnesses, including the complainant, police officers, hotel staff and forensic experts. Defence examines four witnesses and relied extensively on CCTV footage, text messages and electronic evidence.

May 21, 2021: Mapusa additional sessions court acquits Tejpal of all charges, holding that the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt. The 527-page judgment cites inconsistencies in the prosecution's case and shortcomings in the investigation.

The verdict attracts widespread criticism from women's rights groups and legal experts over its observations regarding the complainant's conduct.

May 2021: Goa government challenges Tejpal's acquittal before the Bombay High Court, contending that the trial court "misappreciated" evidence, relied on stereotypes about the behaviour of sexual assault survivors and ignored settled legal principles.

HC admits the appeal and issues notice to Tejpal.

2021-2026: HC hears detailed arguments from the Goa government and Tejpal's legal team over several hearings. The state argues that the acquittal was based on "perverse findings", while the defence maintains the trial court correctly appreciated the evidence.

July 30, 2026: Division bench of Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar reserves its verdict after concluding the hearing of the state's appeal.

August 6, 2026: HC sets aside the 2021 acquittal and convicts Tejpal of rape and other offences arising out of the 2013 incidents. Tejpal says he will challenge the conviction before the Supreme Court.