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Tejpal remanded to 6-day police custody, interrogation begins

Judicial magistrate (first class) Shama Joshi ordered six-day police custody of Tejpal despite the prosecution’s demand of a 14-day remand.

Public prosecutor Frances Tavera sought police custody of Tejpal saying his custodial interrogation was needed because of the nature of the crime involved.

Tejpal’s lawyers opposed the demand for police custody saying he was cooperating with the Goa police, crime branch. He has been booked under sections 354A (outraging the modesty of a woman) and 376 (2)(K) (custodial rape) of IPC.

Tejpal, who was arrested at 9 pm on Saturday after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a district and sessions judge, was brought to the magistrate’s court by Goa police crime branch before Sunday noon.

In her 25-page order, district and sessions judge Anuja Prabhudesai has on Saturday observed that, ‘The statement of the victim and the documents in the form of emails etc., details of which need not be reproduced here, prima facie indicate that the applicant, who was her mentor and father figure, had not only outraged her modesty but had misused his position, betrayed her trust and violated her body.’ The judge had said the applicant is not only an influential person but the record prima facie indicates that the applicant tried to influence the family of the victim and the possibility of the applicant interfering with the evidence cannot be ruled out.

Immediately after the magistrate’s order on Sunday, Tejpal was taken to the crime branch headquarters at Dona Paula for interrogation. Police sources said that serious interrogation of Tejpal began only on Sunday.

Earlier, Tejpal spent the night in a police lock-up here with three persons, including two murder accused. He was referred for mandatory medical check-up at Goa Medical College near here at 12:30 am on Saturday night. Tejpall refused to talk to the media after emerging from the 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 at around 2 am.

Police sources added that he remained calm after his arrest, during his medical check-up and also in the lock-up. The dingy lock-up is located inside the Police Headquarters in Panaji, overlooking the office of the DGP.
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