Defence counsel in the Uber rape case on Thursday began cross-examination of the victim afresh. Counsel for accused Shiv Kumar Yadav, D.K. Mishra, cross-examined the victim in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Kaveri Baweja conducting the trial. The Delhi High Court had on Wednesday allowed the defence to cross-examine 13 of the 28 witnesses, including the victim, second time.
The High Court had granted the permission for a fresh cross-examination of these prosecution witnesses while allowing a petition by the counsel for the accused against a trial court order dismissing his application for recall of all the prosecution witnesses.
While arguing for recall of the witnesses, counsel for the accused had taken the plea that he was new to the case and that the earlier advocate had not been able to put sufficient and suitable questions to these witnesses in their cross-examination. All these witnesses have already recorded their evidence and supported the prosecution case.
The victim has already identified the accused as the person who had sexually assaulted her on December 5 last year when he was travelling in his cab.
According to the Delhi police, the woman executive was allegedly raped by 32-year-old Yadav on the night of December 5, 2014 in his cab which she had hired to return home in Inderlok in North Delhi.
The court had in January framed the charges of rape, causing grievous bodily harm and endangering the life of a woman, kidnapping a woman, criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt against Yadav under the relevant Sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Arguing for recall of the witnesses, counsel for the accused had taken the plea that he was new to the case and that the earlier advocate had not been able to put suitable questions to the witnesses
