The Editors Guild of India on December 12 announced its decision to suspend the membership of former Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar and former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal respectively.

In a statement, the Guild stated that it had sought the views of its executive committee in regard to the action that should be taken against Akbar, Tejpal and Gautam Adhikari, DNA founding editor, in light of the charges of sexual misconduct levelled against them by several women journalists. “A majority of our executive committee members suggested that the membership of Mr Akbar be suspended,” the statement reads. The majority view, the statement said, was that Akbar should be suspended from the Guild till such time that the court case he has filed is concluded.

In October, Akbar had filed a criminal defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani, the first woman journalist who had publicly accused him of harassment.

Additionally, the Guild has stated that there was a consensus for suspension of Tejpal’s membership as well, until the conclusion of his trial. In the case of Adhikari, the Guild has decided to write to him to seek his response.

The Guild’s decision comes nearly a month after the release of an updated list of its members, which included the names of  Akbar, Tejpal as well as Adhikari. You can read more about it here.