Goa police plans to summon Tehelka's former Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury and three other employees in connection with the probe in the sexual assault case against Tarun Tejpal even as Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said the chargesheet will be filed in about a month.
Chaudhury and three witnesses, in whom the victim had confided about what transpired between her and Tejpal at a five star hotel on two occasions when he allegedly sexually assaulted her, may be called to record their statements before a magistrate.
"We have sought permission from the court to summon Chaudhury and three witnesses to record their statements before a magistrate," a senior crime branch officer said.
A team of Goa police had already recorded Chaudhury's statement in Delhi before she quit as managing editor amid outrage over her attempts at covering up the raging scandal.
Chaudhury's statement is "very crucial" as she was the first person to have come to know of alleged sexual assault on the young journalist by Tejpal.
Any statement or confession recorded by a metropolitan or judicial magistrate under section 164 of CrPC is admissible as evidence in a court.
The crime branch officer said the four would be called after court gives a date for recording their statements.
At a press conference today, the Chief Minister said the police would file the chargesheet in one to one-and-half months in the case but ruled out political interference in the investigations.
