Goa Police on Friday filed an FIR against Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal, who has been accused by a woman journalist colleague of sexual assault during an event here about 10 days ago.

Deputy Inspector General of Police O P Mishra said the FIR has been filed while DGP Kishan Kumar said the crime branch could send a team of officials to Delhi for further investigation.

“We will go through all the details. We will press rape charges against him, if the complaint of the girl is substantiated,” Mishra said.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had ordered a preliminary inquiry into the allegations by the girl that she was sexually abused by Tejpal during an event in Goa.

The alleged incident happened in a lift in a five star hotel in Goa about 10 days ago.

The DIG said the CCTV footage was received from the hotel last evening and was preserved.

The details of the incident can only be known after examining the footage, he said.

Police have already written to the Tehelka management, asking for the documents including email of the victim and the statement by Tejpal Parrikar had said yesterday that the police were trying to reach to the girl and record her statement.

“We will fully backup the girl if she files the complaint,” the chief minister had said. He had also expressed the possibility of summoning Tejpal after the preliminary inquiry is over.

After the email by the woman journalist of his magazine alleging sexual assault was made public, Tejpal had announced on Wednesday night that he was “recusing” from his job for six months.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said attempt to rape charges have been pressed in the FIR against Tejpal.

“I am yet to see the FIR copy. What I know is they have pressed attempt to rape charge (against Tejpal),” he said.

He said police have complete authority to investigate the sexual assault case against Tejpal and they should not worry about the stature of the person involved.

“I have given complete authority to the police to investigate the case. I have told them don’t worry whether the person is low profile or high profile. Stature does not count. What counts is the crime. You go by what is correct in law,” the Chief Minister told the police.

NCW asks Goa Police to file FIR in sexual assault case

Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports, the National Commission for Women on Friday said it has written to Goa Police to file an FIR in the alleged sexual assault case against Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal.

“We have written to Goa Police to take cognizance of the matter and file an FIR against Tarun Tejpal,” NCW member Nirmala Samant Prabhavalkar said on Friday.

She said the NCW member in-charge of Goa, Shamina Shafiq, who is in Mumbai, has spoken to Tehelka Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury and will try to speak to the girl on Friday.

“From her emails that we have read, subject to its authentication, it seems to be more than depriving her of her modesty. It is a serious issue and there seems to be clear violation of Visakha guidelines.

“Though the girl has not approached us personally, she seems to be interested in getting justice, Pravabhalkar had said on Thursday.

NCW has also written to Justice Markandey Katju, Chairman of the Press Council of India requesting him to intervene and examine the matter that whether Visakha guidelines were followed in this matter or not.

Goa government had on Thursday ordered a probe into the alleged sexual assault by Tejpal on a woman journalist colleague.

The alleged incident happened in a lift in a five star hotel in Goa about 10 days ago.

The case was handed over to the Crime Branch of police which has got the footage of the Close Circuit Television in the hotel.

They have also sought the copy of the complaint filed by the girl from Tehelka.

Tejpal had written to Tehelka’s Managing Editor, saying he was “recusing” from work for 6 months admitting to “bad lapse of judgement”.