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Delhi Gangrape Survivor's Confidential Police Statement Played In Court By Accused

Shocking.

The video recording of a 15-year-old girl's confidential statement to Delhi police after she was allegedly gangraped by three men in Paharganj was reportedly shown in a sessions court as "proof" of an accused's innocence. A hotel owner in Paharganj who is one of the accused in the case claimed that he found the video on YouTube, and that the girl's statement exonerates him. The video was recorded under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) in the local police station after the class 10 student complained that she had been gangraped after being lured to the hotel by an acquaintance.

"Astonishingly, it is a matter of great concern and requires a probe as to how the video of the victim got uploaded on YouTube," Additional Sessions Judge Vimal Kumar Yadav said after the video was presented in the Tis Hazari court, reported The Indian Express. "The investigation agency may also look into the issue as it has the potential to frustrate the whole object of protection of victim as emphasised in POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) and such legislation."

Even as the court rejected the hotel-owner's bail plea, it rapped investigation agencies for the leak of the video. The girl had been allegedly gangraped on 3 November, and the hotel-owner was arrested as police investigation found that it could not have happened without his connivance.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.