Tarun Tejpal case: Robert de Niro replies to police questionnaire

Panaji, May 6:

Crime Branch has received response from

actor Robert de Niro in connection with the rape case against

editor

.

"Robert de Niro has replied to the questionnaire forwarded to him by the Crime Branch through his attorney," Deputy Inspector General of Police O P Mishra told PTI today.

The actor's attorneys Harvey & Hackett based at New York in the reply sent recently have confirmed the presence of the woman (who has accused the Tehelka editor of rape) and Mr Tejpal for the ThinkFest event, Mr Mishra said, refusing to divulge the details of the reply.

The crime branch, which had filed a charge sheet against Mr Tejpal in the case, had sent a formal questionnaire to the Hollywood actor in January this year.

The police charge sheet mentions that the woman was sexually assaulted twice in the lift of a starred-hotel by Mr Tejpal, when they had gone to drop the actor and his daughter to their room in the hotel where the event was being held.

The crime branch charge-sheeted Mr Tejpal before a fast track court in February this year, accusing him of raping, sexually harassing and outraging modesty of the woman.

Sources said that on March 6, 2014, the crime branch had moved an application at the fast track court in Panaji under section 173(8) of the CrPC, seeking time to include the response of a "witness outside the country" in the supplementary charge sheet.

Mr Tejpal is currently lodged in Sada sub jail in Goa and has applied for bail before the Supreme Court.

PTI