More than 10 months after a 25-year-old woman was raped and sexually assaulted inside a radio taxi in the national capital, a fast-track court in Delhi Tuesday convicted cab driver Shiv Kumar Yadav, holding him guilty on charges of rape and endangering the life of the victim. Yadav, a former driver of Uber taxi service, faces a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.
Additional Session Judge Kaveri Baweja on Tuesday convicted Yadav on charges of rape and causing grievous bodily harm to the victim under the relevant sections of the IPC. He was also found guilty of kidnapping and abducting the victim, criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt.
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The court is set to hear the arguments on the quantum of punishment Friday, October 23. The detailed order on Yadav’s conviction will be made available after the arguments.
Special Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava, said he will seek the maximum punishment — life imprisonment — for Yadav Defence counsel D K Mishra said he would appeal the verdict in Delhi High Court. “There are loopholes in the Delhi police’s investigation. The same has been argued in this court. I will appeal in the high court after the detailed judgement is available to us,” said Mishra.
On December 5 last year, the woman, who worked for a finance firm in Gurgaon, had taken an Uber cab to go home. Instead, Yadav took her to an isolated area and raped her. He also threatened to insert a “saria” (rod) inside her if she raised an alarm, stated the police charge-sheet.
Saying he was “satisfied” with the verdict, the woman’s’ father told The Indian Express, “I hope the convict gets maximum punishment… I am also very satisfied with the fast-track trial and the day-to-day trial of the case. However, the defence tried all possible tactics to delay the trial by recalling the victim.
his not only caused a delay but also forced my daughter to undergo the horrific experience again. I want to thank the Supreme Court for dismissing the defence plea to recall the victim.”
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The special fast-track court had put Yadav on trial on the basis of scientific evidence and the statement of the woman. The court had stated that “considering the injuries of the prosecutrix and her statement, wherein she alleged that the accused tried to strangulate her and thereby endangered her life while committing rape upon her”, prima facie rape charges are made out against Yadav.
The incident had triggered public outrage, after which the Delhi government had banned Uber from operating in Delhi.
Responding to the court’s order, Uber India released a statement, saying, “Sexual assault is a terrible crime and we are pleased he has now been brought to justice. Safety is a priority for Uber and we have made many improvements — in terms of new technology, enhanced background checks and better 24/7 customer support — as a result of the lessons we learned from this awful case. That said, Uber can always do better, which is why are continually looking for ways to improve safety before, during and after the ride”.
As City Editor ( Delhi) at the Indian Express, Kaunain Sheriff leads city reporting with a sharp focus on accountability journalism, data-driven stories, and ground-level impact. As the National Health Editor he leads the newsroom’s in-depth coverage of pressing health issues.
He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, a definitive investigation into the accountability of one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical corporations.
Areas of Expertise
Investigative Reporting: Has deep expertise in investigative reporting spanning public health, regulatory affairs, drug safety, and the criminal justice system. His work sits at the intersection of governance, law, and accountability, with a particular focus on how regulatory failures, institutional lapses, and policy decisions affect citizens’ rights and safety.
Data Journalism: Has extensively on big data–driven investigations, including analyses of flagship government schemes and large datasets on criminal trials, uncovering systemic gaps.
Global Collaborations
Kaunain is a key contributor to major international journalistic projects:
The Implant Files: Collaborated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) to expose global malpractices in the medical device industry.
Chinese Big-Data Investigation: Uncovered how a foreign data firm monitored thousands of prominent Indian institutions and individuals in real-time.
Awards & Recognition
His commitment to "Journalism of Courage" has been recognized with the industry's highest honors:
Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism
SOPA Award (Society of Publishers in Asia)
Red Ink Award (Mumbai Press Club)
Indian Express Excellence Awards (Triple recipient for investigations into the NSA abuse in UP, Vyapam scam, and the anti-Sikh riots).
Education: Studied Mechanical Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Bangalore, before moving to Delhi to pursue his passion for journalism. His engineering training informs his analytical approach, enabling him to decode technical, legal, and data-heavy systems with precision.
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LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kaunain-sheriff-3a00ab99
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Uber taxi driver Shiv Kumar Yadav.
