Uber cab rape case: SC issues notice to driver on police plea

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court today issued notice to the accused driver in Uber cab rape case on the city police's plea against Delhi High Court's order allowing him to recall and examine 13 prosecution witnesses including victim.

The bench headed by Justice J S Khehar sought the response of the driver on Delhi Police's appeal claiming that the High Court's order to recall the victim as witness in the case would cause further harassment to her.

The matter was earlier mentioned by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi before the apex court which had on March 20 agreed to hear it today.

The apex court had on March 10 stayed the high court order allowing the taxi driver, facing trial for allegedly raping a 25-year-old woman in an Uber cab here, to recall and re-examine 13 witnesses including the victim.

It had also stayed trial court proceedings and restrained the media from reporting the statements of witnesses which have been recorded after the high court's order. It had issued notice to the police and the accused to respond to the victim's plea.

The victim, in her appeal, had said that the high court order amounted to re-trial of the case.

Her counsel had said the accused has wrongly been allowed to recall and re-examine witnesses and it would create further agony for the victim and also delay the trial.

On March 4, the Delhi High Court had allowed recall of 13 prosecution witnesses, including the victim in Uber cab rape case, on the plea of the accused driver and said their cross examination will be carried out on a day-to-day basis.