The Goa police team probing the alleged sexual assault case against Tehelka magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Tarun Tejpal returned on Sunday after questioning three employees of the magazine who had been contacted by the victim to corroborate her version. The police team also seized a hard disc and some documents.
Contrary to reports, the three-member police team, which had flown into Delhi from Panaji on Saturday, left without questioning Tejpal.
The police had questioned Tehelka Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury for around nine hours from 4:45 pm on Saturday to around 2 am at the magazine’s office in posh Greater Kailash-II in South Delhi. The investigating team took into custody the e-mail exchanges among Chaudhury, the woman journalist and Tejpal, a CPU, besides several documents. Other than that, Chaudhury’s mobile phone, an iPad and her laptop were also screened by the police, according to the sources.
“Yesterday (Yesterday), at the Tehelka office, the Goa police took my deposition for about nine hours, it was an extremely courteous experience and I fully cooperated and showed every document that was relevant, every email exchange that was there between my colleagues, the management, it was shared, it was a good experience and I hope it helps bring clarity and justice to the entire case,” Chaudhury said on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Tejpal is understood to be contemplating moving the court in this case.
Additional charges
The Goa police on Sunday did not rule out the possibility of pressing additional charges against Tejpal. Deputy Inspector General of Police O P Mishra told reporters during a press conference at the police headquarters in Panaji that many things have emerged during the probe and if required, additional charges would be pressed against the accused.
“There are many things which emerged during the course of investigation. The investigation is a dynamic process and as soon as it is carried forward and things emerged, if additional charges are required, they will be added according to the development in the course of action,” Mishra said. He said the Crime Branch team that had visited Delhi taken into possession relevant documents.
