Uber cab rape case: Driver claims innocence

New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) A Uber cab driver accused of assaulting a woman executive Tuesday told a court here that he has not committed rape and he has been falsely implicated in the case.

Claiming innocence in the case, Uber cab driver Shiv Kumar Yadav told Additional Sessions Judge Kaveri Baweja that it is a "false case".

Quizzed by court as to why he was implicated in the matter, he said that he did not know why the woman lodged a false case against him, and denied the submission that he has raped the victim.

Yadav's submission came while he was recording his statement before the court as an accused.

He confirmed that on the date of alleged incident, he has dropped the victim to her house by his car but denied that he had taken her in an isolated place.

"After sitting in the car, she (victim) started crying and told me to drop her at Inderlok via Dhaula Kaun and Punjabi Bagh," Yadav said.

"When I asked her why she (victim) was crying, she told me that it was not my business and after that I kept quiet."

He further added that he heard her talking to someone over phone that saying that she will marry her fiance but her friend (her childhood friend, who booked the cab that day) had not done good with her.

After dropping her at her house, he parked his car at the spot - where the alleged incident took place - as there was a probability of getting a passenger from that place, he added.

Yadav said that sometime later, he saw the victim's mobile had been left behind in the car and a call was coming on it. He picked it up and replied and found that it was his passenger, who asked him to return her mobile phone and so he went back to her house, he submitted.

Yadav also alleged that he was beaten up by police after his arrest and said that the statement of the doctor, who has examined him Dec 8 last year, that his injuries were two days old was incorrect.

The accused also said that he has surrendered himself to police in Mathura Dec 7.

According to police, the woman executive was allegedly raped by 32-year-old Yadav inside the car on the night of Dec 5, 2014.

The court had Jan 13 framed charges of rape and causing grievous bodily harm or endangering the life of a woman, kidnapping a woman, criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt under various sections of the Indian Penal Code against Yadav.

The prosecution last Saturday completed recording of evidence in a court here in 17 days.