Uber cab rape case: Driver convicted, faces life term

A Delhi court on Tuesday convicted a Uber cab driver for raping a 25-year-old women executive in his taxi and endangering her life in December last year, and faces maximum punishment of life imprisonment. 32-year-old Shiv Kumar Yadav was held guilty for the offences under sections 376 (2) (m) (while committing rape causes grievous bodily harm or disfigures or endangers life of a woman), 366 (abducting with an intent to compel her for marriage), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 323 (causing hurt) of the IPC.

"Shiv Kumar Yadav is convicted of all charges (framed against him). To come up for arguments on quantum of sentence on October 23," Additional Sessions Judge Kaveri Baweja said.

The court also said the detailed judgment would be made available on October 23 after pronouncement of sentence. It had reserved the verdict on October 7.

With Tuesday's verdict, Yadav faces a maximum of life term which under the relevant provision means imprisonment till his remaining natural life.

Yadav, who was brought to the court from jail, appeared stunned as the judge read out the verdict. He was escorted out of the court room by the policemen.

His family members, including wife and parents, were present in the court room but did not get a chance to talk to him as he was immediately taken back to the lock-up.

According to the prosecution, the incident took place on the night of December 5 last year when the victim, a finance executive working in Gurgaon, was heading back to her house at Inderlok in north west Delhi.

It had told the court that Yadav had slapped her several times and pressed her neck. The prosecutor had said that as per the doctor the scratch marks on the victim's neck were suggestive of an attempt to strangulate her.

While the victim's father who was present in the court expressed satisfaction that justice has been done to his daughter, the driver's wife broke down outside the court room and said the family has been ruined.

"We are from poor background and those who have resources succeed and God is watching everything," she said while complaining that she was not allowed to talk to her husband even for a minute.

—with inputs from agency