TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The case against Tehelka founder editor Tarun Tejpal, who is arrested for alleged sexual assault on his junior colleague, would be chargesheeted in the next one month to 45 days, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Wednesday. Under pressure amidst allegations for taking undue interest in the case, Parrikar said that “he would ensure that Tejpal is given justice in the entire case.”
Addressing media persons after the Cabinet briefing, Parrikar said that “he will not bow to any political pressure in the case and will act as per criminal law.”
“I will ensure that justice is given even to Tejpal. Justice does not mean not to punish him, but fair investigation would be conducted in the matter… government does not give punishment or decide on it… it is for the Court to give punishment if found guilty… but only proper investigation and evidence would decide whether to proceed with the case or not ,” Parrikar, who is Home Minister, said.
“He (Tejpal) is currently just an accused … let the investigating agency prove that he is guilty,” Chief Minister asserted.
Denying that he takes daily briefing from the investigating officer in the Tejpal case, Parrikar spelled out a deadline of one month to 45 days for filing chargesheet against the 50-year-old journalist.
“I have said chargesheet the case in month or one and half month; it is direction of the Supreme Court that such cases be fast tracked. I am not doing anything new,” Parrikar said. He said that the justice would also be given to the victim as “she has shown the rarest of courage to come out against such a strong personality (Tejpal)”.
The chief minister ruled out any political interference in the investigations stating that investigating officer has been given free hand to probe. “Even before filing the chargesheet against him, the investigating officer will take their own call, depending on the investigations,” he said, adding that “the evidence fetched during preliminary investigation points out towards his involvement in the crime.”
Parrikar said that the political colour need not be given to the entire investigation because “the source of the complaint itself is Tejpal. “Tejpal through his email has admitted to the crime. We were not in picture till he did that. I don’t know the girl and even her name. How can one give political colour to the investigation?” the chief minister questioned. The former Tehelka editor in chief was remanded to six days police custody by North Goa sessions Court on Sunday.
