Journalist alleges threat by Tejpal kin

mangaloretoday.com

New Delhi/Panaji, Nov 23, 2013, DHNS: Goa police team headed by the investigating officer Sunita Sawant arrives at the office of Tehelka in New Delhi on Saturday.

The journalist who levelled sexual harassment charge on Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal on Saturday alleged intimidation and harassment by people close to him even as Goa Police questioned the magazine’s managing editor Shoma Chaudhury in New Delhi.

 

The Goa Police also confirmed that no CCTV cameras were installed in the hotel elevator in which the alleged sexual assault took place.

The police on Friday charged Tejpal with raping a young colleague during the ThinkFest organised by the magazine in Goa on November 7-8, 2013. So far, the victim’s trauma was revealed through leaked e-mails. On Saturday, however, the journalist released her first statement claiming that attempts were being made to put pressure on and influence her family.

She has now called upon persons connected to Tejpal and his associates to refrain from approaching her or members of her family .

The woman alleges that a member of Tejpal’s immediate family went to her house in Noida on Friday asking her mother to protect Tejpal. “They demanded to know who I was seeking legal help from and what I wanted as the result of my complaint of sexual molestation by Tejpal,” she said in the statement.

“I fear this may be the beginning of a period of further intimidation and harassment,” she said. Sources said the Noida Police are now considering providing protection to the victim’s mother.

“Now,  the victim is not in the capital, but a fresh case may be filed in Delhi over her latest allegations,” sources added. A joint team of Goa Police and Delhi Police recorded the statement of the Tehelka managing editor. A three-member team of Goa Police’s crime branch, including a woman, arrived in the capital on Saturday morning.

Along with a Delhi Police team, they went to Tehelka’s head office in south east Delhi’s Greater Kailash around 4:30 pm to collect e-mails of Tejpal, Shoma and the victim, considered to be evidence in the case. Shoma had reached the office an hour before police arrived.

According to a senior Delhi Police officer, they were at the office for over three hours during which Shoma was questioned. Sources said Shoma’s statement was video recorded.

“She was even asked about the relation between Tejpal and the victim,” sources added. The police also plan to record the victim’s statement and then quiz Tejpal. “Tejpal is yet to be questioned, but he is not likely to be arrested on Saturday,” sources said.

Shoma was earlier requested to hand over a copy of the woman’s complaint to the Tehelka management. The investigating officers have further demanded several laptops, Apple iPads and hard disk drives as part of collecting evidence for the case. Additional Commissioner of Delhi Police (Crime and Railways) Ravindra Yadav also went to the Tehelka head office to monitor the probe.

“We are providing all the help, logistics and support to the Goa Police team,” Yadav said. The Goa Police team is likely to stay in the capital for the next three-four days.

 Tejpal had earlier requested investigators to examine and release CCTV footage “so that the accurate version of events stands clearly revealed”.

Deputy Inspector General of Goa Police O P Mishra, however, on Saturday confirmed that no CCTV cameras were installed in the elevator in which the incident occurred. They have formally received CCTV footage from other parts of the hotel.“The hotel authorities have told us that they have no specific cameras in the elevatorm,” he said.