Ever since the scandal became public Shoma Chaudhury, a shareholder in Tehelka and associated companies started by Tarun Tejpal, was accused of a cover up and of not taking proper action the case demanded.

Initially, Chaudhury sought to portray it as an internal matter and was more interested in getting an apology from Tejpal to the victim rather than reporting it to police because of the nature of the cognisable offence.

Later, she tried to set up an internal complaints committee with Urvashi Butalia, a friend of Tejpal, as its head.

The committee never took off and Butalia also refused to be part of it.

Meanwhile, a number of editors resigned from the magazine accusing Chaudhury of not doing justice to the victim and being interested only in protecting Tejpal.