Delhi gangrape: metropolitan magistrate testifies

The metropolitan magistrate, who had recorded the statement of the December 16 Delhi gangrape victim, on Friday testified before a fast court conducting the trial in the case.

The metropolitan magistrate, who had recorded the statement of the December 16 Delhi gangrape victim, on Friday testified before a fast court conducting the trial in the case.

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The magistrate had recorded the statement of the 23-year-old paramedic at Safdarjung hospital here after the statement recorded by the sub-divisional magistrate had run into controversy following the allegation that a Delhi police official had interfered with it.

The metropolitan magistrate deposed as a prosecution witness during in-camera proceedings against the five adult accused, who have been charged with rape and murder of the victim. The sixth accused is a juvenile who is facing trial before the juvenile justice board.

The magistrate, who appeared before additional sessions judge Yogesh Khanna, will be cross-examined by the counsel for the five accused – bus driver Ram Singh and his brother Mukesh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Singh – on Saturday.

The two judicial officers had recorded the victim's version of the brutal rape and assault which is now being treated as a dying declaration against the five adult accused facing trial in the case.

The girl had died on December 29, 2012 in a Singapore hospital.

The details of the proceedings cannot be reported by the media as the court has imposed a ban on it under the law.