Tejpal seeks time till Saturday to appear before Goa police

Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal, who was asked to appear before the Goa police by 3 pm on Thursday, has sought more time to present himself before the crime branch investigating the complaints of sexual assault by him against a woman journalist colleague earlier this month.

Mr Tejpal wrote a letter to the Goa police saying he would appear before it on Saturday afternoon, his counsel Sandeep Kapur said. In the letter, the Tehelka Editor said, “I am ready to cooperate with Goa police in investigation.”

His counsel said Tejpal would not move the Supreme Court for any relief.

Earlier, the Goa police expected Tejpal to present himself before it, but later DGP Kishan Kumar said he has sought time since he had received the police summons only on Thursday morning. The DGP refused to answer a question whether the Goa police would get a non-bailable warrant issued against him.

Mr Tejpal, who failed to get any immediate relief on his anticipatory bail petition in the Delhi High Court, was on Wednesday summoned by the Goa police to appear before it in connection with the probe in the case.

Accused of attempting a cover up, Ms Shoma Chaudhury resigned as Managing Editor of Tehelka earlier on Thursday.

The victim, a former journalist of Tehelka, who was allegedly sexually assaulted in a lift in a five-star hotel in Goa earlier this month, arrived in Panaji on Wednesday and recorded her statement under Section 164 of CrPC before a local court.