The young woman journalist who has accused Tehelka news magazine founder Tarun Tejpal of sexual molestation claimed on Saturday that attempts are being made to pressure and influence her family members. A Goa police team that reached Delhi on Saturday afternoon questioned Tehelka managing editor Shoma Chaudhury in detail about the incident of sexual harassment. An FIR had been filed on Friday against Mr Tejpal under sections of the Indian Penal Code that deal with the crime of rape and other sexual offences.
In a statement issued to a section of the media late Saturday evening, the victim said, “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 (sic).”
“This visit has placed tremendous emotional pressure on my family and I at an intensely traumatic time. I fear this may be the beginning of a period of further intimidation and harassment. I call upon all persons connected to Mr Tejpal and his associates to refrain from approaching me or my family members,” the statement added. The Uttar Pradesh police on Saturday contacted the victim’s mother and offered security to her family.
Goa police sources, meanwhile, confirmed to this newspaper that prima facie there was sufficient evidence to arrest Mr Tejpal as the CCTV footage of the hotel corroborates the victim’s version. The hotel elevators did not have CCTV cameras but the footage obtained from other cameras in the hotel support the victim’s claim. According to Goa police sources, the footage obtained from the surveillance cameras placed close to the elevator doors may prove to be crucial during the investigation. In an attempt to build a foolproof case, the Goa police is also planning to rope in a professional agency to scan the entire CCTV footage obtained from various cameras installed in the hotel.
“This hotel is in the form of a resort rather than being a block hotel. There are separate rooms and guest-house kinds of things on the property so we need to examine the footage obtained from different cameras. As this is a highly sensitive case we will not rush in taking any decision and will proceed further only on the basis of scientific investigation,” a senior police official said. Senior Goa police officials said they would question not only Mr Tejpal but any other person, including an employee of the magazine, if it is relevant to the investigation.
A Goa crime branch team went to the Tehelka office. The police team questioned Tehelka managing editor Shoma Chaudhury seeking details of the entire incident. The police recorded Ms Chaudhury’s statement on camera. Sources said Goa police sleuths are expected to question Mr Tejpal any moment.
Earlier on Saturday Ms Chaudhury said she was willing to cooperate with the investigating agency and will provide all possible details sought by them. “There is a difference between me going to the police and initiating a case that my colleague may not want voluntarily and the state initiating a case with which I will, of course, cooperate. And I have been cooperating and the information in the media is wrong,” Ms Chaudhury said.
“Right now, I am going to meet the police and yesterday I have already sent the information the police needs. I have sent a mail earlier in the morning to them and I will be sending whatever stuff is required,” she added.
On the contention that she can be charged with destruction of evidence, Ms Chaudhury said no such case is made out and repeated her defence that she had got the editor “to step down and apologise” despite “the fact that there is different version”. Ms Chaudhury’s remarks on Friday that Tarun Tejpal had a “different version” had drawn severe criticism all around as the general perception was that it amounted to character assassination of the victim. “If I am accused of destruction of evidence, which is not the case as again and again I am telling you, the public record will show. It’ll play itself out. The law will take its course... I have already said that getting the editor to step down or an unconditional apology despite the fact that there is a different version is not destruction of evidence,” Ms Chaudhury said Saturday.
Meanwhile, Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar ruled out any political pressure on the investigation, saying, “I am not monitoring the case. In fact, I was briefed about the case by the police after the filing of the first information report.” The CM said he has told the police not to be bogged down by any pressure, however important the accused is. Mr Parrikar said the direction of the probe would be decided by the investigating officer. “It is not the chief minister but the investigating officer who comes to an opinion,” he added. The CM clarified that he was not taking any updates from the officers investigating the case. The Delhi police has said its crime branch will assist the Goa police special investigation team and provide it logistical and other support.
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Tejpal victim ‘intimidated’
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