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Their case strengthened after the victim deposed in a Goa court Wednesday, police told Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal, accused of sexual assault, to meet the investigating officer by 3 p.m. Thursday.
The case, which has triggered a political war between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar insisting there was no political vendetta against Tejpal but he did ask whether Tejpal was a "Congress stooge".
In Delhi, the high court reserved its order on Tejpal's anticipatory bail plea. The court also declined to grant any interim protection to him against arrest by Goa Police.
Under attack over the way she handled the issue, Tehelka's managing editor Shoma Choudhury denied indulging in character assassination of her colleague who has pressed charges against Tejpal.
"I strongly reject the allegations in the media that I am involved in any manner with any slander, intimidation or character assassination of the complainant journalist," Choudhury said in a brief statement.
The victim, who gave her statement to the police in Mumbai Tuesday, was flown to Goa Tuesday night quietly. On Wednesday, she appeared along with a lady police officer before a judicial magistrate.
"The victim's statement was recorded under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code," Deputy Inspector General O.P. Mishra told reporters here.
A statement recorded before a judicial magistrate makes it admissible in court as evidence and is a preferred legal route in case of sensitive crimes.
This also cleared the ground for police to issue summons to Tejpal, who has not made a public appearance since the scandal broke out last week.
Mishra said Tejpal had been told to report by 3 p.m. Thursday.
The BJP, which has accused the Congress of trying to protect Tejpal, said a cabinet minister was shielding him.
"A union cabinet minister who is the founder and patron of Tehelka is shielding Tejpal," BJP's Sushma Swaraj tweeted.
Sibal denied any links with Tejpal and said he had no shares in the Tehelka magazine. He also denied that Tejpal's mother was related to him.
Earlier in the day, responding to allegations by Tejpal about alleged victimization by the BJP, Parrikar questioned the editor over his supposed Congress links.
"Is Tejpal a Congress stooge? First Tejpal should clarify that," Parrikar said.
His comment came after Congress leaders like Jayanti Natarajan and Sibal alleged that the editor could be victimized in a BJP-ruled state for having carried out investigative stories against the party.
Parrikar denied he was taking a personal interest in the case. "There is no interference of any sort. I am not in the habit of interfering with police investigations."
Parrikar said Tejpal's first confession via email where he admitted to sexual liaisons with the victim and his willingness to do penance had done the investigative journalist in.
The fate of the controversy-ridden ThinkFest, an annual high-brow conference organized in a Goa resort by Tehelka where Tejpal is alleged to have assaulted his junior colleague twice, could now hang in balance, with the tourism minister saying the state government may not give the event the nod this year.
"We will not allow it if such activities are happening. There are other complaints about the conference too," Minister Dilip Parulekar said.
The media clamour outside the trial court building where the victim was deposing before the magistrate attracted the police ire.
Mishra warned that criminal action would be taken against television mediapersons if they harassed the victim or revealed her identity.
"Violating the dignity of the victim is a cognizable offence. I will not hesitate to take action," Mishra said, refusing to address the daily media conference until cameras put up outside the court were not moved.
