NEW DELHI, Nov 22: Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley today said a criminal action should be taken against Editor-in-Chief of Tehelka investigative news magazine Tarun Tejpal, who has been facing charges of sexual assault by a young journalist working in the organisation.
“Yesterday, I happened to glance at the Television debates on the serious charges made against Tarun Tejpal. Regretfully, some participants provided an escape route for the accused. They argued that the victim has a freedom of choice whether to pursue her complaint before the in-house inquiry or pursue the criminal investigation,” Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha posted on Facebook.
Mr Jaitley said a criminal offence was a crime against a victim and the society.
“This is precisely why the ‘State’ pursues a criminal action. The public exchequer pays for it. There is a larger public interest in punishing a criminal. A departmental or an in-house inquiry and a criminal trial complement each other. They are not alternatives,” he said.
The senior BJP leader said punishing an offender acts as an deterrent in the larger interest of the society.
He also said it was the duty of one and all to encourage victims to depose truly and faithfully.
“Public interest must always prevail over private embarrassments. The ‘alternative option’ theory is an accused-friendly approach,” Mr Jaitley observed.
Mr Jaitley had earlier said the Indian Media was on ‘trial’ in this matter.
“A young intern alleged that a retired Judge had made an improper advance towards her. The media reported it extensively. The Chief Justice of India appointed a three-Judge inquiry to examine the issue and report its’ finding,” Mr Jaitley said.
Mr Jaitley said a section of the media was outraged that the police in Gujarat was protecting or allegedly keeping an eye on a young lady even with her and her family’s consent.
“The Goa incident involving Tarun Tejpal and a young journalist is in a different league altogether. The victim’s complaint makes out a clear case of rape. The definition of rape was amended by Parliament subsequent to the Justice Verma Committee’s recommendations,” Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said.
Mr Jaitley said the ingredients of an offence of rape as amended by Parliament were squarely made out in the victims e-mail.
“Why was the offence not allowed to be reported forthwith? Were any pressures brought on the victim not to lodge a complaint? How can an offence of rape be compromised by an atonement that the guilty will not attend office for six months?” the senior BJP leader asked.
Mr Jaitley said the grievance of the citizens’ movement after the last year’s Delhi gangrape case was that sexual assaults are always under reported.
“Is this what is happening in this case? Just because the assailant has connections in the Congress party, the nation is deprived of the sage advise of P Chidambaram, the caustic comments of Kapil Sibal and the exaggerated tweets of Manish Tewari,” the BJP leader commented.
“…Additionally we will all await if the outrage in the media is proportionate to the offence. Or will journalistic pressures be brought on the young journalist to conceal the truth. May be secular philandering is to be dealt with a different standard. We all wait to see if the young lady testifies to the truth or not,” Mr Jaitley said. (UNI)
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