Lawyer friend back stabbed me, says Shoma in self-defence

After Tehelka managing editor Shoma Chaudhury said that sections of the media had launched a malicious campaign against her, she now accuses a lawyer friend of backstabbing her by retracting from an advice that the friend had earlier provided her.In a Hindustan Times report, she reportedly accused the friend of first advising to extract an unconditional apology from Tarun Tejpal and then switching sides to attack Shoma. However, from the report it could not be ascertained who this friend of hers is.[caption id="attachment_1253461" align="alignleft" width="380"] Shoma Chaudhury. File picture[/caption] Hindustan Times also quotes a journalist on condition of anonymity who said that Shoma offered to quit if the team had no trust on her ability to dispense justice. "Shoma told us that after the victim first lodged the complaint she (Shoma) consulted this lawyer who she considered a friend and who had advised the magazine previously on a number of issues. It was on the advice of the lawyer that Chaudhury said she had demanded an apology from Tarun," the journalist reportedly said. Chaudhury has already come under severe criticism for appearing to shield Tarun Tejpal and also for downplaying her insensitive response to the grievances of the former Tehelka staffer.