NPN

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court dismissed an application filed by former 'Tehelka' editor Tarun Tejpal, in which he had sought exemption from surrendering until the hearing of his appeal against his conviction and 10-year prison sentence in a 2013 sexual assault case. The Court ordered him to surrender within two weeks. Justice Alok Aradhe rejected Tejpal's plea for exemption from surrendering and directed him to submit a surrender certificate. The Court ordered that if the certificate is submitted on or before September 22, his appeal should be listed for hearing on that same date. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered former 'Tehelka' magazine Editor-in-Chief Tarun Tejpal to surrender within two weeks. The Court stated that the hearing on his appeal against the rape conviction would proceed only after he surrenders. Tejpal has challenged the Bombay High Court's verdict in the Supreme Court; that verdict had convicted him and sentenced him to 10 years in prison in the 2013 rape case. **Surrender certificate must be submitted** The Supreme Court has asked Tejpal to surrender within two weeks and submit the surrender certificate to the Court. Only then will the Court hear his appeal based on the full facts of the case. The Court ordered Tejpal to surrender and file the certificate within two weeks. It further directed that if the surrender certificate is filed on or before September 22, the Registry should list the matter for hearing on September 22. **Arguments presented by Tejpal's lawyers** Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Aman Lekhi, appearing for Tejpal, argued that the surrender of the accused is not a legal prerequisite for listing a criminal appeal. Sibal also cited the Bombay High Court's order dated August 6, which had granted Tejpal four weeks to surrender. The court had acknowledged that the case dates back 13 years and that he is now a senior citizen with deep roots in society. Sibal stated, "There is no legal requirement that he must surrender before the appeal is listed." He argued that there was no purpose in sending Tejpal to jail for a few days before the hearing on the appeal commenced. He remarked, "Sending him to jail for five days makes no sense."