Tehelka founder Tejpal dropped from TOI Litfest after uproar on Social media

New Delhi, Nov 25: Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal, an accused in sexual assault case has been dropped from Times of India Litfest after massive uproar on social media.

Reportedly the organisers were bombarded with angry tweets after the news revealed that 50-year-old editor will also grace the occasion. The festival is scheduled for the first week of December in Mumbai.

Tejpal was suppose to speak on 'Tyranny of Power' along with many other eminent guests like Congress MP Manishankar Aiyar, author Basharat Peer and journalist Manu Joseph.

Bachi Karkaria, who is the director of the festival confirmed the dropping of editor from the list.
"We have asked Tarun Tejpal to drop out of the TOI Litfest. We've got a great program & we don't want it hijacked by extraneous noise", Karkaria tweeted.

Rape scandal haunts Tejapal
In November last year, during an event organised by his magazine, a woman journalist had accused editor Tejpal of sexually assaulting her in a five star hotel in Goa. After that, he was booked under Sections 354A (outraging the modesty of a woman) and 376 (2)(K) (custodial rape) of IPC on the complaint of the victim. At present he is out on bail.

Here are some twitter reactions, expressing their ire at Tejpal's inclusion in the event

Asking Tejpal to "drop out" of #ToiLitFest because of "extraneous noise" rather than rape charge shows lesson not fully learnt

— Minhaz Merchant (@minhazmerchant) November 24, 2014

Checked schedule & pics of #ToiLitFest with impressive line up of Leftists, Liberals, Rapist, Anti-Semite and Indophobes. Intricate Balance!

— Kesar (@Kesar_) November 24, 2014

So #ToiLitFest withdraws their invitation to Tejpal. Good. But I wont forget that they invited him in the frst place. They cant undo that

— Vande Mataram (@UnSubtleDesi) November 24, 2014

By having Tarun Tejpal on #ToiLitFest panel,elite old boys lobby is basically telling d women of India:We can abuse u & u can't do jackshit

— Smita Barooah (@smitabarooah) November 22, 2014

Dear ladies, please carry this along with pepper spray if u r going to #ToiLitFest Tarun Tejpal pic.twitter.com/sMxCZAagiz

— Gogo Ka Bhatija (@CrimeMasterV2) November 22, 2014

This is why #RapistTejpal got bail ... to attend #ToiLET #ToiLitFest #Shame @manoharparrikar @HMOIndia http://t.co/U9tOSwpefg

— suresh (@suresh97) November 22, 2014

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