Tehelka victim resigns, quit letter says Tejpal, Chaudhury failed her
26 Nov 2013 5:36 AM IST
The young journalist at the centre of the Tehelka sex abuse case has put in her resignation, saying that the editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal had not only sexually molested her, but, along with the managing editor Shoma Chaudhury, had tried to orchestrate an elaborate cover-up of the issue. After the victim’s resignation, her colleagues in Tehelka have put in their papers, including Shougat Dasgupta (who refused to confirm reports of his resignation), Ishan Tankha, Jay Mazoomdaar and Revati Laul, to protest against the organisation’s ‘tactical emotional intimidation and character assassination’ in the wake of the sex abuse scandal.
Meanwhile, Tejpal, with whom Goa police has not established any contact even after recording victim’s statement on Monday in Mumbai, has moved to Delhi high court seeking anticipatory bail against the charges framed against him. The court will hear the plea of Tejpal’s bail application on Tuesday. On Sunday evening, a source claimed that Tejpal wants to change the probing body from Goa police to an independent agency, citing political biases against him and his news organisation.
At around 4 pm on Monday, a team of Goa police crime branch reached the residence of the journalist in Mumbai to take her official statement. ‘A written and a verbal statement has been given by the victim in front of her immediate family members present at her residence. She has described each part of the incident that took place on 7 and 8 November,’ OP Mishra, DIG (Goa) said. A source in Goa police said that while taking her statement, she was asked whether she wanted to give her statement in front of her parents or only in the presence of female cops. ‘She immediately replied that she wanted her parents to accompany her while recording her statement,’ the source added.
However, police officials refused to share the content of her statement that has been attached in the FIR lodged at Goa police station. On the basis of the statement, Tejpal might be summoned followed by an arrest, the source said, adding the collected documents and electronic items are being examined and Chaudhury might be called to Goa to facilitate further investigation. The Goa state Women’s Commission has demanded Chaudhury’s arrest for repeatedly trying to protect Tejpal.
Meanwhile, Tejpal, with whom Goa police has not established any contact even after recording victim’s statement on Monday in Mumbai, has moved to Delhi high court seeking anticipatory bail against the charges framed against him. The court will hear the plea of Tejpal’s bail application on Tuesday. On Sunday evening, a source claimed that Tejpal wants to change the probing body from Goa police to an independent agency, citing political biases against him and his news organisation.
At around 4 pm on Monday, a team of Goa police crime branch reached the residence of the journalist in Mumbai to take her official statement. ‘A written and a verbal statement has been given by the victim in front of her immediate family members present at her residence. She has described each part of the incident that took place on 7 and 8 November,’ OP Mishra, DIG (Goa) said. A source in Goa police said that while taking her statement, she was asked whether she wanted to give her statement in front of her parents or only in the presence of female cops. ‘She immediately replied that she wanted her parents to accompany her while recording her statement,’ the source added.
However, police officials refused to share the content of her statement that has been attached in the FIR lodged at Goa police station. On the basis of the statement, Tejpal might be summoned followed by an arrest, the source said, adding the collected documents and electronic items are being examined and Chaudhury might be called to Goa to facilitate further investigation. The Goa state Women’s Commission has demanded Chaudhury’s arrest for repeatedly trying to protect Tejpal.
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