National Commission for Women asks Goa Police to file FIR against Tejpal

Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports, the National Commission for Women on Friday said it has written to Goa Police to file an FIR in the alleged sexual assault case against Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal.

“We have written to Goa Police to take cognisance of the matter and file an FIR against Tarun Tejpal,” NCW member Nirmala Samant Prabhavalkar told PTI.

She said the NCW member in-charge of Goa, Shamina Shafiq, who is in Mumbai, has spoken to Tehelka Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury and will try to speak to the victim on Friday.

“From her emails that we have read, subject to its authentication, it seems to be more than depriving her of her modesty. It is a serious issue and there seems to be clear violation of Visakha guidelines.

“Though the girl has not approached us personally, she seems to be interested in getting justice, Ms. Pravabhalkar had said on Thursday.

NCW has also written to Justice Markandey Katju, chairman of the Press Council of India requesting him to intervene and examine the matter that whether Visakha guidelines were followed in this matter or not.

The Goa government had ordered a probe into the alleged sexual assault by Mr. Tejpal on a woman journalist colleague.

The case was handed over to the Crime Branch of police which has got the footage of the Close Circuit Television in the hotel. They have also sought the copy of the complaint filed by the journalist from Tehelka.

Mr. Tejpal had written to Tehelka’s Managing Editor, saying he was “recusing” from work for 6 months admitting to “bad lapse of judgement”.