Woman journalist's mother files police complaint against Tarun Tejpal's family member

The mother of the young woman journalist, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Tarun Tejpal, today filed a complaint with the Delhi police against an immediate family member of the Tehelka Editor alleging "intimidation" over the case.

Delhi police sources said the mother of the jornalist came to Pandav Nagar police station in East Delhi and filed a complaint against the member of the Tejpal family.

On Saturday, the victim had issued a statement saying she and her family were being subjected to pressure and intimidation at an "intensely traumatic" time to "protect" Tejpal.

Police said they have forwarded the complaint to its legal department to decide how should it be handled.

Yesterday, the journalist had accused Tejpal and Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhary of a "cover-up" and resorting to "tactics of intimidation, character assassination and slander".

Tejpal has been charged with rape by the Goa police. A three-member Goa police team had already quizzed Chaudhury and three employees who were contacted by the victim to corroborate her version of the alleged incident.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court rejected Tejpal's plea for interim protection against arrest in the case. Tejpal termed the FIR as politically motivated alleging Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar was taking undue interest in the matter.

In a letter to Chaudhary, the journalist, who resigned from Tehelka, yesterday said "at a time when I find myself victim to such a crime, I am shattered to find the Editor-in-Chief of Tehelka, and you - in your capacity as Managing Editor - resorting to precisely these tactics of intimidation, character assassination and slander."