NEW DELHI, Nov 23:The woman journalist, who has accused Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal of sexually assaulting her, today said “pressure” and “intimidation” were being brought on her and her family “to protect” him.
She said a member of his immediate family visited her mother at home here last night and asked what the journalist “wanted” as a result of her complaint.
The journalist said Tejpal’s relative came to her mother’s residence on the night of November 22 and asked her mother who they are consulting for legal advice.
The magazine founder’s relative also asked the victim journalist’s mother to “protect Mr Tejpal”, said a statement issued by the woman journalist of the magazine.
“This may be the beginning of a period of further intimidation and harassment”, it said.
“On the night of 22nd of November, 2013, a member of Mr Tejpal’s immediate family came to my mother’s house in New Delhi, asking my mother to protect Mr. Tejpal and demanded to know (1) who I was seeking legal help from and (2) what I wanted as the result of my complaint of sexual molestation by Mr. Tejpal, that was made to the Tehelka management earlier this week”, said the statement.
It said “this visit (by Tejpal’s relative) has placed tremendous emotional pressure on my family and I at an intensely traumatic time” and asked “all persons connected to Mr. Tejpal and his associates to refrain from approaching me or my family members”.
Meanwhile, a special investigation team of Goa Police today questioned Tehelka Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhary and two-three other employees of the magazine and recorded their statements in connection with the charge against its editor Tarun Tejpal of raping a woman colleague.
Sources said a 3-member of Goa police, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Sammy Tavares, went to the magazine’s office in posh South Delhi locality of Greater Kailash Part II at around 4.45 pm and questioned Chaudhary and two-three other employees of Tehelka.
Later, the team, which also includes Sunita Sawant who is the Investigating Officer in the case, also recorded the statements of Chaudhary and the other Tehelka employees questioned, they said.
A team of Delhi Police, including Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav, was also present at the Tehelka office at the time of the questioning to provide logistic support to the Goa police.
The Goa Police Crime Branch team, which arrived here at around noon, is trying to collect e-mails of Tejpal in connection with the incident and the complaint of the girl to the magazine’s management, following which the editor is likely to be questioned, a police official said and did not rule out his arrest.
A first information report has been filed against Tejpal booking him on rape and other charges.
In Panaji, Goa Police DIG O P Mishra said they have been told that there are no CCTV cameras in the elevator of the hotel where the woman journalist of Tehelka magazine was allegedly sexually assaulted by Tejpal.
“The hotel authorities have told us that they have no specific cameras in the elevator. We are getting a detailed layout of cameras (from other areas) from the hotel and make a detailed analysis,” Mishra told reporters.
He said CCTV footage has been received from the hotel but could not be immediately examined because of technical and other logistics for analysing and they were trying to get in touch with agencies for the purpose.
The DIG said the police have communicated to Tehelka Managing Editor Shoma Chowdhary asking for the detailed documents from her. (PTI)
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