New Delhi:
Tehelka Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury resigned early this morning amid unabated criticism for the way she handled a young journalist's complaint that the magazine's founder Tarun Tejpal had molested her at an event in Goa earlier this month.
Later in the day, protesters, led by Delhi BJP leader Vijay Jolly, demonstrated and raised slogans outside her house. Despite police presence, the protesters tried to confront Ms Chaudhury as she stepped out of her house to go to the National Commission for Women and raised slogans against her. They allegedly also defaced the nameplate of her house.
In a letter sent at 6 am today to colleagues, Ms Chaudhury said she did not want her integrity questioned. "Over the past week, I have been accused of an attempt to 'cover-up' and for not standing by my feminist positions. While I accept that I could have done many things differently and in a more measured way, I reject the allegations of a cover-up because in no way could the first actions that were taken be deemed suppression of any kind," she wrote.
(Read her mail)The young reporter had resigned on Monday, alleging that her boss, Ms Chaudhury had tried to orchestrate a "cover-up." She said she felt especially betrayed by Ms Chaudhury's refusal to describe Mr Tejpal's actions as "sexual misconduct" in an email circulated to Tehelka employees.
Ms Chaudhury had said that "an untoward incident" had led Mr Tejpal to "recuse himself" from office for six months.
Experts have said that given the nature of offences outlined by the journalist in an email, Ms Chaudhury was obliged to report the matter to the police. Ms Chaudhury has said she did not do so as the journalist had asked for it to be dealt with internally.
In this morning's letter, Ms Chaudhury noted that she "would have liked to continue at Tehelka to see us through this dark time, but I am no longer sure whether my presence is harming or helping Tehelka.'
She said many of her actions have been "misconstrued and have snowballed exponentially in the media, based on half-facts and selective leaks."
Ms Chaudhury has been interrogated by the Goa police, which has booked Mr Tejpal for rape. His request for bail will be decided on Friday, the Delhi High Court said yesterday, refusing to stop the Goa Police from arresting him till then.