PANAJI, Dec 1:
Police today got a six-day custody of Tarun Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting a woman colleague, after which Crime Branch officials grilled him for over five hours.
Judicial Magistrate Shama Joshi ordered six days’ police custody of Tejpal after the prosecution sought his remand for 14 days.
Once they got him in their custody, Crime Branch officials took the Tehelka founder to their headquarters in Dona Paula and began questioning him on the sexual assault allegedly committed by him on his colleague in a hotel lift twice early last month.
The questioning was over around 8 pm and he was taken back to lock up, police sources said.
The interrogation will resume tomorrow.
Public Prosecutor Frances Tavera sought police custody of Tejpal saying his custodial interrogation was needed because of the nature of the crime involved.
Tejpal’s lawyers opposed the demand for police custody, saying he was cooperating with the Crime Branch.
A woman journalist employed with Tehelka had accused its editor Tejpal of sexually assaulting her twice on November 7 and 8 in a lift in a five star hotel in Goa.
He has been booked under Sections 354A (outraging the modesty of a woman) and 376 (2)(K) (custodial rape) of IPC.
Tejpal, who was arrested at 9 pm yesterday after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a District and Sessions Judge, was brought to the magistrate’s court by Goa police Crime Branch before noon today. (PTI)
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