Uber cab rape case: Delhi Police commences final arguments

NEW DELHI: An accused can be convicted on the basis of sole testimony of the victim if it is trustworthy, Delhi Police told a court here today.

Advancing final arguments in the Uber cab rape case, the prosecutor representing the police argued that as per law if the statement of victim, who is a key witness in the case, was trustworthy and reliable, it was not required to be corroborated by any other witness or evidence and the court could convict the accused on the basis of her sole testimony.

Special Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava referred to the statement of the victim before Additional Sessions Judge Kaveri Baweja in which the woman had deposed that the accused had slapped her several times and pressed her neck.

She was also reminded by the accused driver Shiv Kumar Yadav of the December 16 gangrape case in which rods were inserted in the victim's body, the prosecutor said.

The victim had also said that Yadav had raped her and this was also corroborated by the testimony of the doctor who had examined her.

"A question was put to Dr Kaveri regarding the scratch marks on the victim's neck and the doctor had said these marks were suggestive of an attempt to strangulate her," he said.

The court after hearing part arguments of the prosecution fixed the case for February 23.

During the hearing, advocate D K Mishra, representing Yadav, sought time to file an appeal in the Delhi High Court against the order of this court dismissing his plea to recall all the 28 prosecution witnesses in the case.

Yadav's family members, including wife and two minor daughters, were also present in the court room during the proceedings.

Meanwhile, the court received a report from the DCP 3rd Battalion that as per its earlier orders, Yadav was being brought to the court in a separate space in the jail van.

Yadav has time and again alleged that he was beaten up by inmates while transportation in the jail van.