Panaji: The chargesheet against Tehelka founder editor Tarun Tejpal in connection with the sexual assault case would be filed by next week.
"The chargesheet in Tehelka case would be filed by February 5. The investigation in the case is almost over," a senior crime branch official said.
A former junior woman journalist of the Tehelka magazine had alleged that Tejpal had sexually assaulted her inside the lift of a five-star hotel during an event in Goa in November last year.
Tejpal (50) was arrested by the crime branch police on November 30 in Goa after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a local court.
He is currently lodged in Sada sub jail after the court sent him in judicial custody. The investigating officer has already recorded several statements, including that of former Tehelka managing editor Shoma Chaudhury and Tejpal's daughter, along with the deposition of the victim in connection with the case.
The crime branch officials expect to file a "water tight" case against Tejpal.
Here is the full text of Tarun Tejpal's letter to the investigating officer
Dear ma'am
I have received, and read, the order relating to my bail as issued by the Sessions judge and I am shocked and distressed at an observation that suggests that you have complained of being threatened or intimidated by me.
This is so far from the truth as to be outrageous. I categorically state that I have never ever threatened you. The fact is I have been impeccably cooperative with you and your team from the very beginning. I flew to Goa on receiving the summons, and surrendered myself to you at the crime branch office. Even though there are many reasons to doubt the bona fides of the FIR, I did not display any rancour or reluctance in dealing with you.
There is not a single query that was put to me in my 10 days of police custody that I did not answer. There was no line of inquiry that I stonewalled - even though very often they appeared to have little to do with the case registered against me, and were more in the nature of fishing expeditions.
In my 10 days of police custody I was interrogated by atleast 5 different officers, ranging from the Dy. SP to Inspectors , and not one of them can point to a single question that I left unanswered or a single moment in which I refused to cooperate.
Apart from this I willingly underwent 2 days of medical tests of every kind at the GMC Bambolim - and here again no doctor or officer can state that I did not fully cooperate. Unusually I was also asked to undertake a series of psychological examinations at the institute of psychiatry and human behaviour, which I gladly did, answering over a thousand questions over several hours.
In addition I presented and handed over my mobile phone to you on the first day itself.
I had a perfectly cordial relationship will all your officers and staff. Leave alone intimidation or threat, there is not a single harsh word that I uttered to any of the crime branch staff.
Alas, by stating what you have, falsely - about intimidation - you have reinforced my fear that I cannot expect an unprejudiced and fair investigation at your hands. That the fishing expeditions, the selective gathering of material and witnesses, is all of a piece, part of a process not aimed at arriving at the truth of the alleged event, but at trying to indict me no matter what the facts. It is evident that the false allegations of intimidation leveled against me, was merely a ploy to sabotage my chances for grant of bail, and the fact that in your reply to my bail application before the Sessions Court, the fact of such intimidation was not mentioned suggests that the same was an afterthought and in abrogation from the principles of fair play.
This apprehension of facts being twisted and misrepresented is aggravated by a suggestion that I heard in court that I had confessed to some parts of the crime. I was shocked when during the course of the argument on my bail application, the Prosecutor made a statement that I have admitted to my guilt or to the narration of events as has been put forth by the alleged victim during my interrogation. I reiterate that I was interrogated many times, by various officers of different levels and I, in no uncertain terms disputed each and every allegation leveled against me.
If there exists any other statement on record, the same is not my statement and is an act of manipulation or tampering.
I write this in sorrow, and in deep distress. I wish you had done honour to my trust and cooperation.
My regards,
TARUN
27th January 2014
Vasco
Comments
0 comment