New Delhi/Mumbai: The Goa police today issued summons to Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting his junior colleague.
A senior police official confirmed that Tejpal has been issued summons to remain present before the investigating officer. He, however, refused to mention whether the accused has been given any date or time to present himself before the investigating authority. The Goa crime branch is investigating the complaint against Tejpal by a woman journalist.
Delhi High Court had on Tuesday refused to grant him interim protection and will hear arguments on his plea for anticipatory bail on Wednesday. Also, in a bid to stop him from fleeing the country, the Goa police has issued an “immigration checkpost alert”.
Panaji DIG O.P. Mishra said: “We have alerted all border checkposts and airports to prevent the accused from making any attempt to leave the country.”
In Mumbai, a Goa police team on Tuesday recorded the victim journalist’s statement at her home in the city’s western suburbs. Mumbai police commissioner Satyapal Singh said that police protection would be provided to her if she requests for it.
The victim’s mother, meanwhile, on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Delhi police against an immediate family member of Tejpal, alleging “intimidation” over the case. The journalist’s mother came to the Pandavnagar police station in East Delhi to register the complaint.
As Tejpal tried to defend himself, another Tehelka journalist, Rana Ayub, an associate editor, resigned on Tuesday. So far six journalists, including the victim, have quit the magazine in protest over the issue.
Tejpal, who had initially spoken of “atonement” and “laceration”, appeared to have shifted gear, and in his bail application tried to discredit the victim by saying that her complaint was “false” and an “afterthought”, and also tried to project the entire case as a “BJP conspiracy”.
The Congress, however, refused to rise to the bait, and its spokesman P.C. Chacko made it clear that the party “will not defend anyone who is on the wrong side of the law”. Chacko then added: “There is no difference between Tejpal and Modi.”
Next: Tejpal’s support base starts waning
Tejpal’s support base starts waning
New Delhi/Mumbai: In another setback to Tarun Tejpal, publisher Urvashi Butalia refused to head Tehelka’s internal complaints committee set up to probe the sexual assault allegations, saying it was now not needed as the matter was being probed by the police.
That his support system was cracking up became evident with Trinamul MP K.D. Singh, a majority stakeholder in the firm that owns Tehelka magazine, saying “Tejpal must face the law”.
In his petition, Tejpal, stuck to the “consensual act” line, and claimed, “It is pertinent to note here that the said encounter was only light-hearted bantering, which led to a moment of privacy between the two individuals...”
Trying to rip apart the victim’s sexual assault charge, his petition said she “continued to party and was completely normal and friendly all throughout her stay in Goa”; and that the “lady continued to attend, participate in the conference/festival with élan”.
In his petition, Tejpal, claimed he had “refuted” the victim’s allegations when managing editor Shoma Chaudhury sought an explanation. The managing editor, however, “overrode” him and asked him to step down.
It may be noted that Tejpal’s email to Chaudhury that was leaked on the social media on November 20 read, “The last few days have been most testing, and I squarely take the blame for this.
A bad lapse of judgment, an awful misreading of the situation, have led to an unfortunate incident that rails against all we believe in and fight for.
I have already unconditionally apologised for my misconduct to the concerned journalist, but I feel impelled to atone further.” He went on, “I feel atonement cannot be just words. I must do the penance that lacerates me.”
Mr Tejpal then tried to play the political victim. His plea talked of the “mannerism and the scale in which a particular political party has unle-ashed the wrath of its vengeance” upon him.
It was claimed the FIR lodged by Goa police was an attempt by the BJP to “malign” him. Rubbishing these charges, the BJP said that “Tejpal should be behind bars like Asaram”.
