Metropolitan magistrate records rape victim's statement

After controversy erupted over recording of the 23-year-old gangrape victim's statement, her fresh testimony was on Tuesday taken by the metropolitan magistrate, police said.

"A fresh statement of the girl has been recorded by the metropolitan magistrate," a senior police official said.

Controversy erupted over the recording of the victim's statement after Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit complained to Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde that senior police officials "interfered" in the process and sought an enquiry.

In a letter to Shinde, Dikshit cited a communication to her by Deputy Commissioner (East) B M Mishra that Sub Divisional Magistrate Usha Chaturvedi claimed that three senior police officers had prevented the video recording of the victim's statement. It was also alleged that the police officers wanted the SDM to use a questionnaire they prepared.

It later turned out to be an open war between Dikshit and Delhi Police, who demanded a probe into the "leakage" of her letter to the home minister.

Delhi Police came out with a strong denial and also demanded a high-level probe into the "leakage" of Dikshit's letter to Shinde.

"We deny the allegations levelled by SDM Usha Chaturvedi. Delhi Police demands a high-level inquiry into the leakage of a top-secret letter written by the Chief Minister to media," Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said.