Manohar Parikkar dismisses Tejpal's allegations of political vendetta

PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today rubbished allegations of political vendetta levelled by Tehelka Founder Editor Tarun Tejpal saying that if he's innocent that has to be proven in court.

"If he (Tejpal) is innocent, then he has to prove it to the court," Parrikar told reporters reacting to Tejpal's statement.

Tejpal while alleging political vendetta had claimed that the exact truth would be known only after viewing the CCTV footage sourced by crime branch from the hotel.

"As far as I know, there was no CCTV in the lift," the Chief Minister said.

Responding to allegations that the case against him was out of communal politics, Parrikar said Tejpal has a chance to level it out all before the court when his plea for the bail would be heard.

The Chief Minister said that the chargesheet is based on proper evidence including the laboratory reports sourced by the investigating agency.

Tejpal, who is currently lodged in Sada sub jail in Vasco town, had moved an application, seeking the CCTV footage, one of the crucial evidence produced by the Goa crime branch in the charge sheet.

In a statement issued last night, he had blamed crime branch of hiding the CCTV footage which he said could give the accurate version of the event and alleged that motivated political vendetta was being pursued against him.

Earlier today, Goa court allowed Tejpal to get the CCTV footage of the five star hotel at Bambolim in North Goa, where he had allegedly raped his junior colleague.

He is charged with rape, sexual harassment and outraging modesty of his colleague in a lift at the hotel last November.