Tehelka case: Tejpal should be punished if found guilty, says Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar: Mehbooba Mufti, president of opposition People`s Democratic Party (PDP), said here Friday that Tehelka founder and editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal should be made an example of, if he is proven guilty of the sexual abuse accusation levelled against him. Speaking to media persons here, Mufti said if proven guilty of sexual abuse, the most stringent punishment should be handed down to Tejpal. "There are many people in political parties against whom parties have taken no action even after serious charges of crimes against women were raised against them," she said.

"This is happening despite the fact that women are very powerful in political parties across the board. Sonia Gandhi, Mayawati, Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit and many others are powerful women in their parties," Mufti noted. "Despite this, political parties have been ignoring action against members accused of serious crimes against women," the PDP president said.