Tarun Tejpal spends night in lock-up with murder accused

PANAJI: Tehelka magazine editor Tarun Tejpal spent the night at a police lock-up here with two murder accused and an anti-social person, after he was arrested by the Crime Branch.

Tejpal, who was arrested in a sexual assault case, was referred for mandatory medical check-up at Goa Medical College near here at 12:30 midnight.

He was taken to Panaji police lock-up at around 2 am, after his medical check-up. Police sources said that Tejpal will share the lock-up with three more people including two accused of murder and one arrested under preventive action.

The Crime Branch sleuths had posted their guards outside the lock-up.

The dingy lock-up is located inside the Police Headquarters in Panaji, overlooking the office of the Director General of Police (DGP).

Police sources added that he remained calm after his arrest, during medical check-up and also in the lock-up.

The 50-year-old-journalist refused to talk to the media after his medical check-up, when he emerged from Goa Medical College.

He was accompanied by his lawyer and his family joined him outside the Police Headquarters, before he was taken to the lock-up. He was supplied with a new pair of clothes by his family, as allowed by the Court.

Tejpal would be taken for remand early today morning. A lady journalist, employed with Tehelka, had accused Tejpal of sexually assaulting her twice on November 7 and 8 in Goa. He has been booked under Section 354A (outraging the modesty of a woman) and 376 (2)(K) (custodial rape) of IPC.