Tarun Tejpal, the highly acclaimed editor of Tehelka is under huge suspicions. The nation is watching the case with interest. He has been accused of raping a young colleague. Following the allegation, he has stepped down from Tehelka for six months.
He is the founder of Tehelka an Internet news and views website. Tehelka is known for it’s legendary sting operations and unmasking the illicit activities of the government.
On November 20, 2013 a young colleague accused Tarun Tejpal of sexually assaulting her. The young girl told the police that it was in a lift that Tarun Tejpal misbehaved. He had immediately stepped down from Tehelka calling it “a lapse of judgment”
But that was four days ago, now he says he is innocent.
Interesting facts: He has been a partner to the Congress party –all his stints have involved unearthing corruption /faults of BJP party. So, his friends and family are of the opinion that he is being wrongly framed by the BJP government (the present ruling party in Goa). It’s been four days since the incident has been reported, but no FIR has been filed. There is no talk of DNA testing. It looks like a lot of hogwash with no light at the end of the tunnel.
The family of the young journalist has formally complained to the Delhi Police of being harassed by Tarun Tejpal’s men –they are intimidating the girl’s family and asking her to drop her case.
More than a rape case it has become a political case. Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, today tweeted, “Union Cabinet Minister who is the founder and patron of Tehelka is shielding Tarun Tejpal.”
From India Today: Six senior journalists said their goodbye to Tehelka after this incident caught fire.
Senior editor Rana Ayyub quit on Monday, close on the heels of consulting editor Jay Mazoomdaar, assistant editor Revati Laul and literary editor Shougat Dasgupta. Ayyub announced her resignation on Twitter at 11.45pm on Monday.
“In view of the present controversy I thought it necessary to discontinue my association with Tehelka ,” she wrote, adding: ” However, I would always hold the iconic work done by Tehelka in highest regard.” On Tuesday, however, she refused to comment on the reasons that led her to take this decision. ” I have tweeted what I had to say. I don’t want to delve further into it. The matter is sub- judice and being a journalist, I understand the perils of speaking about it,” she told MAIL TODAY. Photo editor Ishan Tankha, one of the colleagues the victim first shared the incident with and who has stood by her since, has also ended his stint with the investigative magazine.
It will be interesting to see how the story unfolds and reaches its culmination. Tarun Tejpal is the nephew of Kapil Sibal and the way India operates, it is likely that after a lot of sound and fury the incident will be forgotten. …