New Delhi, Oct 20: Six days after the shocking abduction-cum-rape of a Swiss diplomat here, Delhi Police today claimed to have obtained "important leads" regarding the two culprits in the case. Special teams have been despatched to pursue these leads, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Vivek Gogia said.

He said questioning of people having features similar to the sketches of the accused was continuing in an effort to zero in on the culprits. Over 8,000 people have been quizzed so far by various teams of police as part of the manhunt.

Progress in the investigation is being hampered as the victim, who has returned to Switzerland, is yet to see the photographs of 16 suspects sent to her by police via e-mail.
"She is yet to see the photographs because of personal reasons," said Gogia who met Swiss ambassador Walter B Gyger today in connection with the case.

He evaded an answer when asked whether the finger prints of any of the 16 suspects matched with those lifted from victim's car and the unclaimed lighter recovered from it.

Gogia said the two youth accused of abducting and molesting Trinidadian ambassador's wife in Africa avenue in a similar fashion two years ago had been exonerated in the current incident as their appearance does not match the sketches of the accused.

The 35-year-old diplomat was abducted in her own car from the parking lot of Siri Fort Auditorium on October 14 when she was leaving for home after watching a movie. One of the culprits then raped her as the other drove the vehicle through South Delhi streets.

Bureau Report