TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Cyber Cell of Goa Police has closed the inquiry into a complaint against Delhi BJP spokeswoman Meenakshi Lekhi for allegedly naming the victim of the alleged sexual assault by Tehelka founder editor Tarun Tejpal in November 2013 owing to jurisdiction issue.
According to a senior officer, the Goa police do not have the authority to investigate the complaint as the tweets were not done in Goa. “The tweets were not done in Goa. It is an independent case…we have no jurisdiction, no powers to investigate as of now,” said the officer.
Complainant, National Students Union of India (NUSI) vice-president Sunil Kawthankar has been intimated about the development, over a fortnight after he was summoned for assisting the probe team. On December 2, 2013 Kawthankar filed the complaint with Goa Police crime branch against Lekhi for disclosing the victim’s name in a tweet.
In its summons letter to the complainant, Cyber Cell police inspector Rajesh Job had asked him to present a screenshot copy and URL of the tweets made by Lekhi if available, or else to present himself for identifying the tweets and URL.
“Our inquiry (before registering the case) concluded that FIR cannot be registered because the tweets were not in Goa, and the complaint has come from a third party and not from the victim or alleged accused,” he said.
Tejpal is presently in judicial custody for more than a month for allegedly raping his woman colleague in the lift of a hotel where Tehelka was hosting its annual Think Fest on November 7-8, 2013. His bail application will be heard on January 4, even as his extended 12-day judicial custody ends the same day.
Kawthankar, who denied receiving any communication from the cyber cell in this regard, has alleged that this is an attempt to shield the senior leader. “If the cyber cell has decided not to go ahead with the case, then it clearly shows they are protecting her because the BJP is ruling in Goa. The primary crime has occurred here… and suddenly this comes up shows they (cyber cell) are shying away from their responsibility,” he commented.
