Panaji, Nov 29 (IANS): Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal never planned to join the investigation in the sexual assault case against him, claimed a senior police official here, while Goa Police conducted searches in Delhi, including at his residence.

The police official told IANS on condition of anonymity that the investigating officer's efforts to contact Tejpal ever since the receipt of a fax from him at 6.20 p.m. Thursday were of no avail.

"We have tried to reach him since yesterday (Thursday) evening after we received a second fax from him which said that he would join the investigation. But there was no response from either him or others at his residence," police said, adding that Tarun's going off the radar was the reason why his residence was raided.

A Goa Police team, which conducted searches at Tejpal's New Delhi residence and homes of other relatives and friends along with Delhi Police Crime Branch officials, is being led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Sammy Tavares.

Tejpal has been accused of sexually assaulting a junior colleague twice during a conference in Goa earlier this month.