THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Crime Branch team probing the letter controversy has recorded the statement of Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran. The probe team recorded the statement at the mayor's house. Earlier, the Chief Minister had ordered a Crime Branch investigation after considering the mayor's complaint in the controversy. Arya Rajendran told the Crime Branch team that the letter was not written by her and someone forged it in her name while she was in Delhi.

Earlier, a controversy had erupted after the mayor did not allow time for the crime branch team to record her statement. Although the crime branch team asked for time to record the mayor's statement on Monday and yesterday, the mayor did not give them time. Arya finally decided to allow time for the probe team after 5 pm when the opposition started alleging that she was trying to delay the investigation.

The Mayor had filed a direct complaint to the Chief Minister on the basis of legal advice that if a complaint is filed with the police in the controversy involving party leaders, the FIR will reach the court and the court's intervention will change the subject matter of the investigation. The party leadership has decided not to proceed with the party-level investigation into the controversy for the time being.