Goa , November 23: The Goa police on Saturday said that the CCTV footage from the elevator, where the alleged sexual assault by Tehelka magazine’s Editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal took place is not available with the hotel.
“As of now the hotel management has told us that there is no camera inside the elevator. We have formally obtained the CCTV footage of concerned parts of the hotel, which will be examined,” Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Dr. O.P. Mishra said.
A junior female reporter from the same magazine was allegedly assaulted by Mr. Tejpal in Hotel Grand Hyatt at Goa, during the magazine’s literary festival, ThinkFest. The Goa police have decided to take suo-moto action in the case and sent its three member team to New Delhi to collect details and question Mr. Tejpal and magazine’s managing editor Shoma Chowdhary.
“Our team has reached New Delhi. We have sent an e-mail to Ms. Chowdhary asking her to cooperate in the investigation,” he said.
Dr. Mishra added that the police have yet not received the copies of mails that were exchanged between the victim, Ms. Chowdhary and Mr. Tejpal. “Our team will go there and acquire all the necessary documents,” he said, evading the question of whether Mr. Tejpal will be arrested.
When asked whether the police will record the statement from the victim by visiting her in Mumbai, he said that the investigating team will welcome cooperation from her. However he did not elaborate on whether the team will visit her.
The management of Hotel Grant Hyatt refused to give any comment on the issue, despite repeated attempts. “We are cooperating with the police and would prefer nor to speak anything since the matter is under investigation,” said a senior member of hotel’s management team.
