The prosecution on Monday began the final argument in the Uber rape case. However, Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava could not continue it as counsel for accused Shiv Kumar Yadav filed an application seeking recall of all the prosecution witnesses for their re-examination, saying that he was new to the case following the change of the old lawyer by the accused.
Later, Additional Sessions Judge Kaveri Baweja conducting trial of the case reserved her order for February 18 on the accused’s application.
Opposing the accused’s application, Mr. Srivastava said that the change of the lawyer could not be a ground for recall and re-examination of the witnesses. He further submitted that counsel for the accused had filed the application only to delay the trial. The case has reached the penultimate stage. On conclusion of the final, the court will pronounce the judgment.
All the 28 prosecution witnesses, including the victim and his friend, who had accompanied her till Vasant Vihar and hired the Uber taxi there for her onward journey to her home, have supported the prosecution case. The victim has identified the accused as the person who had sexually assaulted her on December 5 last year. She identified him first time on the Tis Hazari courts premises when she had gone there to record statement and second time in the trial of the case. The accused in his statement has denied all the charges.