Panaji/Delhi, Nov 23: A special investigation team of Goa Police today flew to Delhi in connection with the probe into alleged sexual assault of a Tehelka journalist by its Editor Tarun Tejpal and will seek to record the statements of the two along with that of magazine's Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury.
A senior Goa police official said the Crime Branch team led by a Deputy Superintendent will record the statement of Chaudhury before further action.
The police are trying to collect e-mails of Tarun Tejpal in connection with the incident and the complaint of the girl to the management following which he will be questioned, the official said and did not rule out his arrest.
Police will also be trying to meet the victim and get an independent statement from her, the official said.
Goa Police had yesterday filed an FIR against Tejpal under Sections 376 (rape), 376 (2) (rape by a person of a woman in his custody taking advantage of his official position) and 354 (outraging modesty) of IPC in connection with the incident that took place during an event in Goa a fortnight ago.
Conviction under Section 376 of IPC entails a maximum of life term in jail.
Tejpal had issued a statement offering to extend the "fullest cooperation" to the police and all other authorities.
Chaudhury, who had yesterday said they would not go to police on the issue as it was for the victim to decide on it, today said that if the case is "initiated by the state" she will cooperate with Goa police and "has been cooperating".
"I am going to talk to them (police). I have sent them an e-mail and I will be sending them the information that they have asked for," she said.
Chaudhury, who is facing allegations of a cover up, came under fresh attack when she referred to her conversation with Tejpal saying he had a "different version" of the incident which she claimed to have overruled when getting his apology.
"I do feel a sense of outrage and betrayal but he has a different version," she had said.
The issue came into limelight when the email by the woman journalist of his magazine alleging sexual assault was made public and Tejpal announced on Wednesday night that he was "recusing" from his job for six months.
Delhi Police said it will extend full support to the special investigation team of Goa Police which arrived in the capital this afternoon.
Delhi police sources apart from meeting Chaudhury to record her statement and collect emails of the victim in which she had complained about the alleged sexual assault by Tejpal, the team will also seek copies of his reply to the allegations.
Chaudhury said she will be meeting the police and was ready to provide all information sought by them.
"I have been cooperating and the information in the media is wrong. Right now, I am going to meet the police and yesterday I have already sent the information the police needs. I have sent a mail earlier in the morning to them and I will be sending stuff," she told reporters.
Chaudhury, who had yesterday asserted that they would not go to police on the issue as it was for the victim to decide on it, today said that as the case is "initiated by the state", she will cooperate.
"There is a difference between me going to the police and initiating a case that my colleague may not want voluntarily ... (and) the state initiating a case with which I will, of course, cooperate and I have been cooperating and the information in the media is wrong," she said.
On the contention that she can be charged with destruction of evidence, Chaudhury said no such case is made out and repeated her defence that she had got the editor "to step down and apologise" despite "the fact that there is different version".
Her remarks yesterday that Tejpal had a "different version", had drawn the ire of activists, who said it amounted to character assassination of the victim.
"If I am accused of destruction of evidence which is not the case as again and again I am telling you, the public record will show. I'll play itself out.
"The law will take its course.... I have already said that getting the editor to step down or an unconditional apology despite the fact that there is a different version is not destruction of evidence," she said today.
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