BJP questions Congress's silence on Tejpal's conviction, targets Rahul over Jharkhand students' stir
The BJP has criticized the Congress party for its silence regarding the conviction of former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal in a 2013 rape case. The BJP alleges a long-standing political nexus between the Congress and the magazine.
Why it matters
It reflects the use of legal convictions as political ammunition in the ongoing rivalry between India's major political parties.
The BJP on Monday (August 10, 2026) questioned the Congress's silence over former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal's conviction in a 2013 rape case , alleging that the opposition party has a longstanding "nexus" with the magazine.
The Bombay High Court convicted Tejpal in the 2013 rape case on Thursday (August 6) and sentenced him to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment, terming the trial court's 2021 acquittal verdict "perverse" and criticising it for falling prey to the notion that the complainant in such cases should be a "perfect victim" and should conduct herself in a certain way to appear credible.
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Tejpal, 63, was convicted of raping a junior colleague in a hotel elevator in 2013 during an event organised by Tehelka in Goa. He has said he will approach the Supreme Court to challenge the conviction.
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