Overview
- The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused Tarun Tejpal’s request to avoid custody and directed him to surrender within two weeks, saying his appeal cannot be heard until he files a surrender certificate.
- Justice Alok Aradhe rejected the defence contention that the Bombay High Court’s four‑week surrender window removed the need to comply with Supreme Court Rules, and recorded that the registry will list the appeal for September 22 only if the surrender certificate is produced by then.
- The Bombay High Court (Goa bench) overturned Tejpal’s 2021 acquittal on August 6 and convicted him of aggravated rape and related offences, sentencing him to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment under IPC sections including 376(2)(f).
- The Goa government has separately moved the Supreme Court to seek enhancement of the sentence to life imprisonment, arguing the 10‑year term is disproportionate to the gravity of the offences.
- Beyond this case, the order underscores a procedural rule that convicted appellants must either surrender or obtain a discrete exemption before the apex court will take up criminal appeals, and it will determine Tejpal’s liberty and the timetable for merits hearing once the surrender certificate is filed.