For Tarun Tejpal, interrogation and possibly arrest today
Ready for interrogation : Tejpal to Goa police
Source: The Sangai Express / Courtesy NDTV and PTI

New Delhi, November 28 2013: Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal, accused of raping a younger colleague in Goa earlier this month, has faxed a letter to the Goa Police this evening saying he will make himself available for interrogation after lunch tomorrow.

The Goa Police has meanwhile moved a Sessions Court seeking a non-bailable arrest warrant against Mr Tejpal.

An order is expected tomorrow morning.

The police have said Mr Tejpal's arrest is imminent as he failed to meet a 3 pm deadline set by them to appear for interrogation today.

Tejpal's lawyers will also be in a Goa Court tomorrow morning to try and get bail and pre-empt his arrest.

He withdrew his request for bail from the Delhi High Court today to be able to seek bail in Goa.

The senior journalist had earlier told the Goa Police that he would meet them on Saturday afternoon.

He said that the police order asking him to travel to Goa was received late at night.

"Since I am not a resident of Goa, I require a little time to appear before you," he said.

The Goa Police rejected his request for an extension of deadline.

Tejpal has denied the charges of rape against him, and said that the encounter that's being described as rape was "light hearted bantering" .

The young journalist who has accused him of sexual assault has ardently challenged his version of events, and accused Tehelka and her boss, Shoma Chaudhury, of trying to engineer a cover-up.

She quit Tehelka earlier this week.

Chaudhury also resigned today from Tehelka after days of being pelted with criticism for her handling of the reporter's complaint, sent to her via an email that was leaked.

That email was used by the Goa Police to file an FIR against Tejpal.

PTI adds : Tightening the screws, Goa police today moved a court for issue of non-bailable arrest warrant against Tarun Tejpal, who is accused of sexual assault against a woman journalist in Tehelka, after he failed to appear before the crime branch.

Tejpal, whose request for extension of time till Saturday for appearance before the Investigating Officer (IO) was rejected today, has now told Goa police that he will appear before them tomorrow in the investigations, his lawyer Sandeep Kapur, said in Delhi in the evening.

On a day of dramatic developments when earlier reports spoke of Tejpal producing himself before the Goa police by the 3 PM deadline, he changed strategy and sought extension of time.

And in the Delhi High Court he sought withdrawal of his petition seeking anticipatory bail saying he would move the appropriate court for appropriate remedy.

The dice was loaded against the founding Editor of the magazine when two hours after the 3 PM deadline passed and he failed to appear before the police, DIG O P Mishra said the IO has not accepted his request for extension "in view of the seriousness of the crime and is further proceeding in this case as per law empowered" .

Asked whether securing a non-bailable warrant (NBW) was an option before the police, he said, "these are logical steps that we are required to follow.

I cannot divulge to you each and every step of investigation" .

When pressed further whether arrest was being thought of, he shot back, "there should be no doubt that the next logical steps is that.

The IO is proceeding as per logical and legal protocol" .

Police sources said the crime branch moved the Sessions court for issue of an NBW with which Tejpal could be arrested.

The court is expected to give its order tomorrow morning.

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