Tejpal offers fullest cooperation to police

Breaking his silence in the sexual assault case, Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal today offered to extend the "fullest cooperation" to the police and all other authorities and expressed readiness to present all the facts of this incident to them.

In a statement issued soon after a case was filed against him in Goa, Tejpal said he had "tried to do what was honorably demanded of me" and issued an apology for the "alleged misconduct" as demanded by the victim.

"There have been serious allegations cast on me in this last week, and unfortunately as sometimes happens in life, the complete truth and the need to do the honorable thing can come into conflict," he said.

Tejpal said that in this case, "this anguish was accentuated by the fact that very many intimate people, professional and personal, were involved".

"I offer my fullest cooperation to the police and all other authorities, and look to presenting all the facts of this incident to it," the founder-Editor of Tehelka said.

"I also urge the committee and the police to obtain, examine and release the CCTV footage so that the accurate version of events stands clearly revealed," he added.

Narrating details of the events that occurred after the incident came to light, Tejpal said, "For four days, as demanded by Shoma Chaudhury, the Managing Editor (of Tehelka), and the recipient of the complaint, I have tried to do what was honorably demanded of me.

"On Tuesday, I issued an apology for the alleged misconduct, as desired by the journalist through Shoma Chaudhury.

"On Wednesday, I stepped down from the editorship of Tehelka and removed myself from the office premises.

"On Thursday, I learnt of the formation of the complaints committee."

Tejpal has been under severe attack for the alleged incident with demands for action against him under the law.