Tejpal kin visited my mom, they are pressurising me, says victim

PROBE Cops record Shoma Chaudhury’s statement, take away laptops, hard disk drives from Tehelka office

NEW DELHI: Tarun Tejpal’s troubles mounted on Saturday as the colleague who has accused him of sexual assault revealed that a family member of the Tehelka founder-editor had visited her mother, and said she feared further intimidation and harassment. The Goa Police, which has registered a case of rape against the 50-year-old, meanwhile, conducted a search-and-seize operation at the publication’s office.

“On the night of November 22, 2013, a member of Mr Tejpal’s immediate family came to my mother’s house in New Delhi, asking my mother to protect Mr Tejpal,” the journalist said in a statement released to the media. She said the visitor “demanded to know who I was seeking legal help from” and “what I ‘wanted’ as the result of my complaint”.

“This visit has placed tremendous emotional pressure on my family and I at an intensely traumatic time. I fear this may be the beginning of… further intimidation and harassment,” she said. “I call upon all persons connected to Mr Tejpal and his associates to refrain from approaching me or my family members.”

Earlier, a joint team of the Goa and Delhi Police took Tehelka managing editor Shoma Chaudhury’s statement at her south Delhi residence and took away laptops, iPads and hard disk drives from the magazine’s GK office. Chaudhury, who was questioned for three hours, later said, “I have given all information demanded of me. We are cooperating to the best of our ability.”

CONTINUED ON P7