More and more conflicting expressions are floating in the news media, some giving the expressive details on the facts as revealed by the involved and related persons, while few are also attempting to interpret the news differently to ease the situation, in favour of the sting investigating baron, trapped conclusively for his unconditional apology mail to Shoma Choudhury, while hoping to close the sad chapter of the shameful lapse of judgement to an agreed end.
Tarun Tejpal has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman colleague by the Goa Police in their FIR, and they have commenced the investigation, visiting Tehelka office and collecting the relevant information.
The Goa police team also met the three friends of the victim, who were intimated earlier of the incident by the victim journalist , but as the investigation has moved fast in the right direction to establish the crime, more conflicting reports has started to emerge and circulate in the media, of the nature of encounter between the Tehelka founder and the young woman.
Tehelka Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury First Report :
{Chaudhury, in an internal letter to her colleagues, described the incident as "an untoward incident.This may come as a rude surprise to many of you. There is a letter from Tarun appended to this mail. There has been an untoward incident, and though he has extended an unconditional apology to the colleague involved, Tarun will be recusing himself as the editor of Tehelka for the next six months," she wrote.
Tejpal, in a letter to Chaudhury further said," he has tendered an unconditional apology for "misconduct to the concerned journalist" but felt impelled to atone further. "Because it involves Tehelka, and a sterling shared legacy, I feel atonement cannot be just words. I must do the penance that lacerates me,". He offered to recuse himself from the editorship of Tehelka, and from the Tehelka office, for the next six months.}
The basic news from the victim is much sensational then initially anticipated :
{The victim has narrated in her email to Tehelka Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury, where she wrote that : "Tejpal had sexually assaulted her "at Think on two occasions last week". She accused Tejpal, whom she had known since she was a child, of molesting her in the elevator of a five star hotel on their way back from actor Robert De Nero's hotel suite.
"She said she had resisted Tejpal's attempt at sexually assaulting her and reminded him of her friendship with his daughter who happened to be her best friend. The Durbar report said Tejpal allegedly "penetrated" her with his hands and told her "Well, this is the easiest way for you to keep your job." }
The total swing has come now, as reflected in Tejpal's latest expressions as :
{ Tejpal issued an official statement on Friday offering his "fullest cooperation to the Goa police and all other authorities". In reports that appeared in several media now , On Friday, in a strongly worded statement, Tejpal responded to allegations of sexual assault levelled against him by saying that "the complete truth and the need to do the honourable thing can come into conflict".
Tejpal said,"For four days, as demanded by Shoma Chaudhury, the managing editor, and the recipient of the complaint, I have tried to do what was honourably demanded of me. On Tuesday I issued an apology for the alleged misconduct, as desired by the journalist through Shoma Chaudhury," he said and urged the police to obtain, examine and release the CCTV footage so that "the accurate version of events stands clearly revealed."
Tejpal finally announced,"The truth is it was a fleeting, totally consensual encounter of less than a minute in a lift (of a two-storey building!) Now that a committee has been announced the truth will come out. As will the CCTV footage. My life and work have been trashed on a total lie," .}
INDIA HONEST warns the whole story on the Tejpal's sexual assault may soon take a somersault, as more political sensitivity has been generated, when Tejpal already demanded transfer of probe from Goa to his politically comfortable Zone of Delhi, while the reluctant and depressed media has been seen fast diluting their attention on Tejpal.