Journalist Mayank Jain resigns as principal correspondent at Business Standard amid sexual assault allegations

On Tuesday, journalist Mayank Jain resigned as Business Standard's principal correspondent following allegations of sexual assault being levelled against him.

Business Standard editor Shyamal Majumdar confirmed the development in a text message to Firstpost, “Mayank Jain resigned and it (his resignation) has been accepted with immediate effect." On being asked on the status of the inquiry against Jain, Majumdar said the "inquiry will take its natural course."

Jain has been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct as part of what is being seen as India’s definitive #MeToo moment online. Jain earlier declined to comment to Firstpost after The Wire journalist Anoo Bhuyan earlier outed him on Twitter as an alleged harasser

Bhuyan tweeted:

24. Mayank Jain, the journalist I accused of sexual harassment, has resigned.
.
This was sent to @bsindia employees.
"This is to inform you that Mayank Jain resigned today and his resignation has been accepted with immediate effect.
Editor"#timesup

— Anoo Bhuyan (@AnooBhu) October 9, 2018

    Bhuyan earlier tweeted:

1. This Indian journalist here, is a #SexualPredator. [Thread]:https://t.co/H3PbWwOcYZ — Anoo Bhuyan (@AnooBhu) October 4, 2018

13. Internal committee set up at @bsindia to investigate allegations on Mayank Jain. Jain not sent on leave/ fired. Committee may not have mandate to administer due process. Ill depose if required. Other women can consider deposing. Pls stay in touch.https://t.co/i0LMcwuo5a — Anoo Bhuyan (@AnooBhu) October 7, 2018

Jain was named, among other journalists including Ayush Soni, Prashant Jha, and Anurag Vema in this Firstpost piece on India’s #MeToo moment as women took to Twitter to out alleged predators and sexual harassers.