A day after Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal was convicted of raping his colleague by the Bombay High Court, the gang leader of the ‘Award-wapsi’ brigade Anand Patwardhan came to the rescue of the rapist on Friday (7th August).
The case stems from the testimony of a former junior colleague, who accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting her inside a hotel elevator during the ThinkFest event in Goa in November 2013. The allegations had triggered nationwide outrage and became one of India’s most high-profile workplace sexual assault cases.
While responding to a Facebook post written by ‘journalist’ K A Shaji, which was shared by one Geeta Seshu, Anand Patwardhan attempted to cast aspersions on the rape victim as well as the Bombay High Court.
In a Facebook comment, he declared, “It is complicated. Tehelka was a major thorn in the flesh of Modi and BJP and of course they did everything to destroy it in the lead up to the 2014 elections.”
The 76-year-old conspiracy theorist claimed, “On the other hand, Tejpal preying on young colleagues is reprehensible. Was it rape? After seeing CCTV footage of him and the victim entering the lift as well as exiting from it on the upper floor, talking normally, I do not think any violent incident happened in the lift itself (where there was no CCTV).”
After dismissing the fact that the rape had occurred, he insinuated that the Bombay High Court was working on the directions of the Modi government. “Now the high court has found him guilty. That is no surprise either, for increasingly the BJP gets what it wants from our courts,” he brazened out.
Anand Patwardhan now joins the likes of Newslaundry, which has been unapologetic and unabashed about its defence of Tarun Tejpal.
Interestingly, he came to the limelight in October 2015 after returning his National Award alongside other members of the gang, alleging rising intolerance and threats to diversity and freedom of speech. He had previously contextualised violence against Hindus in Malda in 2016.
“Let us get some things straight. I oppose the mob violence in Malda which was triggered by a Hindu Mahasabha leader making derogatory comments about Prophet Mohammed,” Anand Patwardhan had remarked.
