New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V.K. Malhotra on Tuesday condemned the sexual assault incident involving former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal, saying that the latter should be behind bars like self-styled godman Asaram.
"Tarun Tejpal should be behind the bars just like Asaram, who is in jail in connection with rape charges," Malhotra said. He further accused the Congress party for protecting Tejpal.
"Congress is protecting him and adopting double standards, they have shares in Tehelka," he added.
Meanwhile, echoing similar sentiments, BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said: "Tejpal has to tell the country what kind of lifestyle he has been living that he has come up with this kind of glorious act."
The Delhi High Court earlier in the day refused to hear Tejpal's anticipatory bail petition, and postponed its hearing to Wednesday.
Tejpal, who has been accused of sexually assaulting a junior colleague in a Goa hotel earlier this month, had on Monday filed a petition before the high court alleging that there was conspiracy behind the allegations of sexual assault, that the woman journalist was lying, and described the incident as a 'light hearted banter'.
Goa Police had on November 22 lodged an FIR against Tejpal under IPC sections 376 (rape), 376 (2)(K) (rape by a person of a woman in his custody taking advantage of his official position) and 354 (outraging modesty). Conviction under section 376 of IPC entails a maximum of life term in jail.
