Jail authorities confiscate mobile phone from Tejpal’s cell

The State Prisons authorities will ask the Superintendent of Sada sub-jail, Vasco in south Goa to probe to ascertain the ownership of mobiles seized in jail cells on Sunday, once the report submitted by Sada sub-jail Superintendent Gaurish Shankhawalkar in this regard is received. Mr. Shankhawalkar said he had already sent the report to IG Prisons Mihir Vardhan.

Mr. Shankhavalkar confirmed in a chat with The Hindu on Monday that he seized nine mobile phones from the cells of Sada sub-jail on Sunday during a routine check.

This included one mobile phone in section of a cell in which Tehelka co-founder Tarun Tejpal, accused in the journalist sexual abuse case is lodged. Mr. Tejpal is lodged with four other inmates at cell no. 14.

Mr. Tejpal told the officials that the phone did not belong to him. Mr. Tejpal has been in the judicial custody for over two months in this sub-jail following his arrest on charges of rape and sexual abuse of his junior journalist colleague in November last year in Goa.

Jails Superintendent Gopal Parsekar told The Hindu on Monday that the report from Superintendent, Sada sub-jail had not been received. He admitted that it could be in transit. He said that IG, Prisons will advise the Superintendent to probe the same to find out the ownership of the mobile phones.