Tarun Tejpal steps down as Tehelka editor over sexual assault charges

Tehelka’s editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal has stepped down from the magazine for a period of six months due to charges of sexual assault on a reporter in Tehelka. Firstpost received an email which was sent out by managing editor Shoma Chaudhury to the employees of Tehelka informing them that Tejpal was “recusing himself as the editor of Tehelka for the next six months”. (Quote from the mail.) [caption id=“attachment_1241005” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Tarun Tejpal[/caption] Shoma’s email also said Tejpal had rendered an “unconditional apology to the colleague involved”. Tejpal also wrote a letter to Shoma Chaudhury in which he said that, “A bad lapse of judgment, an awful misreading of the situation, have led to an unfortunate incident that rails against all we believe in and fight for. I have already unconditionally apologised for my misconduct to the concerned journalist, but I feel impelled to atone further.” He said that he was stepping down for six months as part of he “must do the penance that lacerates me”. (Quote from email.) However the charges appear to be more serious than just “a bad lapse of judgement". An email that was sent by the victim who is a reporter with Tehelka to the managing editor however says that what Tejpal did was not a bad lapse of judgment but a case of serious sexual assault. She says that Tejpal tried to disrobe her and extensively groped her twice during the recently concluded Think festival in Goa. Editor’s Note: Due to the offensive and personal nature of the comments we are closing posting.