Tehelka, the ‘sensational’ tabloid platform started in 2000 as a website has been surrounded by controversial news since its inception. From the reportings of Tehelka to the news coming from Tehelka it has always been fascinating for the people. Founded by Tarun Tejpal and Aniruddha Bahal, the platform had always maintained a pro-Congress approach since its formation. The anti-corporate nature of articles published in Tehelka had angered many corporate houses in the past. The match fixing scandal in India was uncovered by cricketer Manoj Prabhakar who used a hidden recording equipment to talk with players about instances of fixing. It was big news in the year 2000 when several Indian cricketers including ex-captain Md. Azharuddin were found to be involved in match fixing. The next few sting operations conducted by them targeted the then NDA government in power.
Tehelka has been notorious for using alleged prostitutes and other unethical means in order to conduct sting operations. The garb of investigative journalism allowed Tehelka to corrupt many people working in the government sector. Misleading journalism and sensationalising news had been the forte of Tehelka while it held sway over the news market.
The platform had been criticised for the financial backing it received upon its re-launch as a magazine. Keeping in tune with its legacy of making sensational news headlines, Upendra Rai, former CEO and editor-in-chief of Tehelka magazine, has been arrested today. Upendra Rai, his associate Prasun Roy and others were booked by CBI on allegations of using false information to gain access to security sensitive areas, including airports, and indulging in dubious financial transactions.
Tehelka’s first tryst with law happened when its co-founder Tarun Tejpal was accused of sexual assault by a junior colleague. The woman journalist who was a co-worker of Tejpal at Tehelka had accused him of sexually assaulting her during an event in Goa. Tejpal had allegedly assaulted her inside an elevator of a five-star hotel during the ThinkFest conference. ThinkFest conference was the brainchild of Tarun Tejpal and Tehelka was the chief organiser of the event. The woman had complained to her seniors before approaching the police, after which a string of emails between the then Managing Editor Shoma Chowdhury and Tejpal had been leaked. The CCTV footage from the hotel confirmed that the assault had indeed taken place in the hotel in Goa. The police further confirmed that Tejpal had assaulted the lady twice and it had enough proof to establish sexual assault and misconduct on Tarun Tejpal.
Known for his collection of fancy cars which includes Audi and Maybach, Upendra Rai is also the owner of many flats and properties in posh localities in prime locations of Delhi, Mumbai and even London. His frequent flights on chartered planes and his premium memberships of various elite clubs in India also raised questions. The major sources of his income are the consultation fees from shell companies which are similar in nature to the earnings made by ex-Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and his son in the INX Media case. Upendra Rai has been known to help many corporate houses from time to time, disrupting the investigation process and influencing the policy making process of governments in exchange for monetary benefits.
The arrest of Upendra Rai will open the doors for CBI to learn more about the media-government and bureaucracy nexus which was operating during the time of UPA rule. The arrest of Upendra Rai could lead to many more sensational develpoments in the upcoming days, as always promised by Tehelka.