Tejpal stepped down, not something the journalist asked for: Shoma Chaudhury

She added that the aggrieved journalist was her priority

Tehelka's Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury on Thursday said her priority is the aggrieved journalist, and added the journalist demanded an apology, which has been given to her.

She also said that editor of Tehelka Tarun Tejpal has stepped down, which is not something the concerned journalist had asked for.

"My priority is that aggrieved journalist should feel that she has been done justice by, and being driven by what she wants. Please allow me to attend to her first. To my understanding she wanted an apology. It was given to her," she told media here today.

"The editor has stepped down, which was not something she had asked for. My primary duty is to her. The Harassment committee will definitely respond by this evening,' she added.

Tejpal, on Wednesday, sent a letter to Shoma Chaudhary, saying that he was stepping aside from his job for six months, and was squarely to be blamed for the sexual misconduct incident.

He further said that it was a bad lapse of judgment on his part, and that he had completely misread the situation.

He said that he has apologised unconditionally to the concerned journalist, but felt that he needed to atone for his misconduct further.

Tejpal, who is a founder member of the Tehelka magazine, said that he was stepping aside as an act of penance.