Moving towards an imminent arrest, the Goa police today approached a local court for issuing a non-bailable warrant against Tarun Tejpal, who is accused of sexual assault against a woman journalist colleague, after he failed to appear before police.
Tejpal, whose request for extension of time for appearance by 3 PM before the Investigating Officer (IO) was rejected today, has now told Goa police that he will appear before them tomorrow in the investigations, his lawyer Sandeep Kapur, said in Delhi in the evening.
On a day of dramatic developments when earlier reports spoke of Tejpal producing himself before the Goa police by the 3 PM deadline, he changed strategy and sought extension of time.
But in the Delhi High Court he sought withdrawal of his petition seeking anticipatory bail saying he would move the appropriate court for appropriate remedy.
The dice was loaded against the founding Editor of the magazine when two hours after the 3 PM deadline passed and he failed to appear before the police, DIG O P Mishra said the IO has not accepted his request for extension "in view of the seriousness of the crime and is further proceeding in this case as per law empowered."
Asked whether the NBW was an option before the police, he said, "these are logical steps that we are required to follow. I cannot divulge to you each and every step of investigation."
When pressed whether arrest was being thought of, he shot back, "there should be no doubt that the next logical steps is that. The IO is proceeding as per logical and legal protocol."
Police sources said the crime branch has moved a judicial first class magistrate for issuing of an NBW with which Tejpal could be arrested.
