(Input from NDTV)
New Delhi: As Tarun Tejpal, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Tehelka news-magazine, booked under the charges of rape and molestation will be arrested today, Saturday November 23.
Meanwhile the investigators noted that Tehelka was not cooperating with the probe, managing editor Shoma Chaudhury disproves the allegations, though reports state that the Goa police is expected to reach Delhi today to interrogated Tejpal along with Shoma.
A day before he sent an apology letter on November 20, Tejpal admitted of a forced sexual relationship with the young colleague twice in spite of the girl’s unwillingness to maintain such a relationship, this letter was written a day on November 19 on which the Journalist disapproved and said that the Tejpal had raped and molested her wherein he is merely trying to misinterpret it with a sexual relations.
In a letter written by him on the November 19 he said: “It wrenches me beyond describing, therefore, to accept that I have violated that long-standing relationship of trust and respect between us and I apologize unconditionally for the shameful lapse of judgment that led me to attempt a sexual liaison with you on two occasions on 7 November and 8 November 2013, despite your clear reluctance that you did not want such attention from me.”
In response the journalist responded to that letter in an email to Tehelka’s Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury, clearly contesting Tejpal’s claims.
She has written: “Tarun’s account of what happened on the 7th and 8th of November differs from mine. The use of the words “sexual liaison” is a clear misrepresentation of facts, and an attempt to disguise the truth – that he sexually molested me, on two separate occasions and that he violated my bodily integrity and trust.”
The FIR against Tejpal, filed yesterday, lists rape by a person in a position of authority over the woman. It carries a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. Mr Tejpal, in a statement, has said that he will cooperate with the investigation. He said he wants the police “to obtain, examine and release the CCTV footage so that the accurate version of events stands clearly revealed.” The Goa Police says it has gone through the footage from the security cameras at the five-star hotel where the alleged assault took place.
