Uber rape case: Delhi HC refuses to stay proceedings

The Delhi High Court Tuesday refused to stay proceedings in the rape case against a driver of the Uber cab company.

Justice Sunita Gupta refused to stay the proceedings in the case and posted the matter for hearing of the plea of the accused driver Shiv Kumar Yadav seeking direction to recall 28 prosecution witnesses in the case for further cross examination Wednesday.

Defence counsel D.K. Mishra moved the high court, challenging the trial court's order that denied him permission to recall the witnesses.

Mishra said the driver was not given a fair opportunity to defend himself in the case.

The trial court had Feb 18 rejected Yadav's plea saying it was an attempt to "delay the proceedings".

At present, the trial court is hearing final arguments in the case.

The prosecution had Jan 31 completed recording of evidence in just 17 days.

According to police, the woman executive was allegedly raped by 32-year-old Yadav on the night of Dec 5, 2014 in the cab she hired to head back home in north Delhi's Inderlok area.

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