TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Tarun Tejpal, one of the most powerful journalists in the country got a taste of what could be in store for him. He spent his first night (Saturday) in prison with four persons, who were arrested by forest officials for poaching turtle and frogs on Friday.
Tejpal, arrested around 9 pm on Saturday was lodged in the police lock-up at police headquarters after mandatory medical check-up at Goa Medical College post-midnight at 12:30 midnight.
The dingy cell faced the other cell in which a detained protestor Mangal Chowdhary, who threw a black cloth on Tejpal outside the Sessions court on Saturday afternoon, was lodged along with two alleged murder accused.
While the alleged poachers ~ Damiao Colaco, Natalo Fernandes, Lorence Colaco and Santan Colaco ~ reportedly slept on the bare concrete floor; the ‘celebrity’ prisoner was given bedsheet to sleep on and a blanket by his family, which was allowed by the District and Sessions court under Section 48-D of the CrPC. He was also given a new pair of regular house wearing clothes.
His family however had brought bedding at around 8.30 pm, but were not allowed as the main gate of the headquarters, which is normally kept open, was shut for the night.
Police sources said that he had meals brought by his family on the night and all through the following day. “He had vegetarian diet. He was given rice, dal (lentil) and cooked vegetables but it is learnt that he ate less than usual. On Sunday morning, before being taken to the JMFC for remand, he was offered tea and bread by the police but he refused to eat,” said an official.
Tejpal refused to talk to the media who gathered outside the police headquarters before being taken in the lock up. He was accompanied by his lawyer and his family.
During the six days, it is learnt that he will be shown the CCTV footage available on the corridor of the ground floor of the hotel in Bambolim, and taken to the scene of crime. The blurred footage reportedly shows Tejpal wiping sweat on his face and the victim adjusting her dress in the corridor as they come out of the elevator.
