Bid to ‘silence’ him for investigative journalismTejpal’s daughter on his conviction in case
Former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal’s daughter Cara Tejpal has linked his conviction by the Bombay High Court to his investigative journalism. She claims he was targeted because of the magazine's work and the sexual assault allegation was used as a means to “silence” him.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Cara said she did not care if she was labelled a “rape apologist” or the “child of a rapist”.
She sought to link the case to Tehelka’s investigative journalism and the "controversies surrounding the magazine’s reports on corruption" and alleged wrongdoing by those in power.
“Tarun Tejpal was more than a thorn in the side of the BJP government, and what better way to silence him than to portray him as the most reviled of all sinners—a rapist,” the statement said.
The HC on Thursday, August 6, convicted the 62-year-old journalist of raping a junior colleague inside a hotel elevator in 2013 during an event organised by the magazine in Goa. The verdict came on an appeal filed by the Goa government against his acquittal.
Cara said she had examined the evidence in the case for 13 years and was convinced that her father was innocent.
“I was 23 years old when my father was arrested. I was 31 when he was acquitted, and today, at 36, I stand by him as he is convicted by the Bombay High Court on the basis of a false allegation of rape filed suo moto by the state of Goa,” she said.
Cara said she had initially been “terrified of speaking the truth” when her father was arrested and was deeply affected by the media coverage surrounding the case. She said she was no longer willing to remain silent despite the criticism she could face for supporting her father.
“I’m not that 23-year-old anymore. I’m 36 and I couldn’t care less about being called a ‘rape apologist’ or ‘child of rapist’ or whatever vile slur is used against me,” she said.
She further alleged that the case was accompanied by a strong public narrative that discouraged people from questioning the allegations.
“The truth is the truth. No court, no prime minister, no godi media can take that from us,” she said, urging people to read the “actual facts of the case” rather than relying on headlines and what she described as uninformed public discourse.
Tarun Tejpal was arrested in November 2013 following allegations that he had sexually assaulted a junior colleague inside a hotel elevator during an event organised by the Tehelka magazine in Goa.
The sessions court at Mapusa acquitted him in May 2021, prompting the Goa government to challenge it before the HC.
The high court termed the trial court’s verdict as “perverse”, noting that it fell for the notion that a sexual assault complainant must be a “perfect victim” and conduct herself in a certain way so as to appear credible.
The court asked Tejpal to surrender within two weeks but later extended the period to four weeks on a request from his lawyers.
The journalist has claimed that he was a political victim and would approach the Supreme Court to challenge his conviction.
(With inputs from PTI)
