Mumbai, Aug 6: The Bombay High Court on Thursday sentenced former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment in the 2013 sexual assault case involving a junior colleague, hours after setting aside his acquittal and convicting him of rape and other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

A division bench of Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar announced the sentence and granted Tejpal two weeks’ time to surrender before the jail authorities.

Earlier in the day, the Justice Gokhale-led Bench had allowed the appeal filed by the Goa government against the May 2021 judgment of a sessions court in Mapusa, which had acquitted Tejpal of all charges.

Pronouncing the verdict, the Bombay High Court convicted Tejpal under Sections 376(2)(f) and 376(2)(k) (rape), 354A (sexual harassment) and 354B (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to disrobe) of the IPC. It had then posted the sentencing for later in the day.

During the hearing on the question of sentence, Tejpal’s counsel sought suspension of the conviction for eight weeks to enable him to approach the Supreme Court, submitting that the verdict had reversed an acquittal and highlighting that there was no other criminal case against him.

Addressing the Justice Gokhale-led Bench, Tejpal also pleaded for leniency, stating that he believed himself to be a victim and requested the High Court to take a compassionate view while deciding the sentence.

Opposing the plea, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the case required a strong message against sexual violence, contending that “when a girl says no, it means no”.

The case stems from allegations made by a junior colleague that Tejpal sexually assaulted her inside an elevator of a luxury hotel in Goa during an event in November 2013.

The Goa Police registered an FIR against Tejpal for offences including rape, following which he was arrested in November 2013 after a local court rejected his anticipatory bail plea.

He was granted regular bail by the Supreme Court in July 2014.

In May 2021, Additional Sessions Judge Kshama Joshi acquitted Tejpal, holding that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and citing alleged lapses in the investigation, including failure to produce certain evidence such as CCTV footage.

The Goa government challenged the acquittal before the Bombay High Court, contending that the trial court had erred in appreciating the evidence on record.

During the appeal hearing, the prosecution argued that the Sessions Court had focussed on the survivor’s post-incident conduct and background instead of assessing the evidence against the accused. It also submitted that the trial court ignored material evidence, including an apology email allegedly sent by Tejpal after the complainant raised the allegations with the then Managing Editor of the publication.

Lucknow, Aug 6: Former Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Atiq Ahmed’s youngest son Abaan Ahmed died in a fatal car accident on Thursday, said multiple reports.

The deadly mishap happened on the Jhanshi-Kanpur national highway in Uttar Pradesh while Abaan was on his way to meet his brother, imprisoned in extortion and other cases. Their vehicle apparently crashed into a highway divider, leaving the vehicle in ruins.

Preliminary findings suggest rash driving as the reason behind the deadly crash. The images and visuals that surfaced from the accident site show the scale and intensity of the crash. The car’s front portion was completely wrecked in the collision, as the car purportedly hit a road divider.

Abaan Ahmed, the youngest son of the slain gangster-turned-politician, was said to have been behind the wheel during the mishap, and he was accompanied by four other associates. Abaan and one of his aides died in the severe accident, while three others are said to be seriously injured.

The accident occurred when Abaan and his associates were going to meet his jailed brother Ali Ahmed, who is currently incarcerated in a Jhansi prison.

The car met with an accident near the Poonch area on the highway. The police and local administration swung into action after getting information about the fatal crash, and they shifted the critically injured to a nearby hospital. The doctors declared Abaan Ahmed, along with one other, dead on arrival, while three others were administered initial medical aid and subsequently referred to Maharani Laxmibai Medical College.

The police team reached the accident spot and was investigating the reasons behind the fatal accident. The two dead bodies have also been taken into custody and sent for post-mortem.

According to police, over-speeding and rash driving led to loss of control and are believed to be the key reasons behind the fatal accident.

Abaan Ahmed was the youngest son of Atiq Ahmed, while his elder brother Ali Ahmed is currently lodged in Jhansi jail over involvement in multiple cases.

Ali has been in prison in an extortion case. He is an accused in the February 2023 killing of Umesh Pal, the key witness in the BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case.

In 2023, Atiq Ahmed and his brother, Ashraf, were shot dead by three men posing as journalists, as police were taking them for a mandatory medical checkup. The entire episode was beamed live on television, leaving many shocked and appalled over the gruesome murder in full media glare.

New Delhi, Aug 6: In a major breakthrough, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police has arrested a notorious proclaimed offender who had been evading law enforcement agencies for nearly 28 years after escaping police custody. The accused, identified as Rajinder Bairagi alias Rajinder Singh Yadav alias ‘Dr Jhatka’ (53), was wanted in connection with the murder of a Haryana Police personnel, multiple attempt-to-murder cases, and a daring escape from police custody while handcuffed.

The arrest was made by the Northern Range-1 (NR-1) team of the Crime Branch following a multi-state operation that culminated in Mungaoli town of Madhya Pradesh’s Ashok Nagar district.

Police said the accused had successfully lived under a false identity for decades, managing to establish a new life while remaining on the run from authorities.

According to Delhi Police, the operation began as part of a special drive to trace and apprehend long-absconding proclaimed offenders involved in serious crimes in Delhi.

Investigators initially focussed on two cases registered at Janakpuri Police Station in June 1997. These included FIR No. 658/1997 under Sections 307, 324, 506, and 34 of the IPC relating to a violent knife attack in Uttam Nagar, and FIR No. 659/1997 under Sections 307 and 34 of the IPC pertaining to an attempt-to-murder case.

Rajinder had evaded arrest for years in both cases and was subsequently declared a proclaimed offender by the Rohini Courts in 2008. However, during the course of the investigation, police uncovered a far more extensive criminal history, including his alleged involvement in the murder of a Haryana Police official and his escape from police custody in 1999.

Police officials said establishing the accused’s true identity posed a significant challenge because he had successfully blended into society under a new name and had acquired multiple local identity documents.

Through extensive field Intelligence, technical surveillance, and analysis of digital footprints, investigators confirmed his identity, mapped his movements, and tracked his location.

Once his whereabouts were verified, a team led by Inspector Sanjay Kaushik, along with SI Deepak Kumar, ASI Ramesh Rana, HC Sanjeev Kumar, and HC Sanjeev Jakhar, conducted a raid in Mungaoli under the supervision of ACP Suresh Kumar of Northern Range-1.

The accused was apprehended and later produced before the Judicial Magistrate Court in Mungaoli. After obtaining transit remand, he was brought to Delhi and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Dwarka.

During interrogation, Rajinder revealed that he had been a kabaddi player in his youth and gradually came into contact with criminal elements. Police said that on the night of May 10, 1998, he and five armed associates were involved in a violent incident at a wedding function in Saiyan Khera village in Haryana’s Sonipat district.

According to investigators, a dispute broke out between the accused and members of the bride’s family, following which the group allegedly opened indiscriminate fire. Haryana Police personnel Jai Bhagwan, who was the bride’s uncle, sustained fatal gunshot injuries and died on the spot, while another person was critically injured.

Following the incident, a case was registered at Gannaur Police Station under Sections 148, 149, 307, 302, and 449 of the IPC, along with provisions of the Arms Act. Rajinder was subsequently arrested. However, on February 14, 1999, while being escorted by Uttar Pradesh Police personnel from Ghaziabad Jail to a court in Sonipat, he escaped from custody despite being handcuffed. A separate case was registered against him in connection with the escape.

Police said that after fleeing custody, Rajinder travelled to Kolaba in Maharashtra, where he reportedly worked as a physical education teacher at a Kendriya Vidyalaya for about a year. He later moved permanently to Mungaoli in Madhya Pradesh and assumed the identity of Rajender Singh Yadav.

Over the years, he established himself in the local community and married Mamta Yadav in 2003. She currently serves as an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) at a government hospital in Mungaoli.

The accused reportedly worked as an unregistered medical practitioner, earning the nickname ‘Dr Jhatka,’ while also engaging in property dealing and contracting work. He even operated a small clinic and managed to obtain official documents, including an Aadhaar card, voter identity card, PAN card, driving licence, and domicile certificate.

The couple has two children, a 17-year-old son studying in Class 12 and a 16-year-old daughter studying in Class 11. Police said the accused had successfully concealed his criminal past and lived a seemingly normal life for nearly three decades.

Investigators also revealed that Rajinder has a long criminal record. Besides the murder case and the escape-from-custody case, he is wanted in multiple attempt-to-murder cases registered in Delhi and Haryana. His criminal history includes cases under the Arms Act as well as theft-related offences registered in Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

Officials described the arrest as the culmination of a 28-year-long pursuit and a significant achievement for the Crime Branch. They said the operation demonstrates that even the most elusive fugitives can eventually be brought to justice through sustained investigative efforts and coordination among law enforcement agencies across states.