A colossal political and media outcry has now engulfed her life. This much is clear in the storm. Ten days after the Goa festival, a young Tehelka journalist (who had been detailed to chaperone De Niro) sent Chaudhury a complaint accusing the magazine’s founder and editor in chief, Tarun Tejpal, of sexually assaulting her twice in an elevator on Nov. 7 and 8. Tejpal is a charismatic figure whose investigative journalism has earned him many political enemies and near legendary status among India’s intellectual elite. The young woman’s Nov. 18 email to Chaudhury alleged that he had finger-penetrated her and left her “in a completely distraught condition.” It demanded “at the very least” that she receive “a written apology from Mr. Tejpal,” according to a copy provided to me.

Chaudhury, having spoken to Tejpal, promptly responded, saying she felt “my breath has been knocked out of me” and assuring the journalist that the editor in chief was “absolutely willing” to provide the requested apology.

The reply from the journalist, entitled “Request for Closure,” said: “I need closure on this — I need a written apology to me for his physical misconduct on two separate occasions. I need an acknowledgment of the same sent to the staff and bureau. I also need Tehelka to set up an anti-sexual harassment cell.” In a further email the next day she stipulated that the apology from Tejpal must include admission of “sexual molestation on two separate occasions despite repeatedly and clearly being asked to stop.”

It seems clear that, at a small magazine that was family to its staff, faced by a traumatic incident involving two people she was close to, Chaudhury was scrambling, as requested, to deal with the matter internally.

Within hours, on Nov. 19, Tejpal apologized “unconditionally” to the journalist in an email that referred to “a moment of insanity” but left her deeply dissatisfied. The next day he announced he would step down for six months.