NEW DELHI: An Indian Uber taxi driver was convicted on Tuesday of raping a young female passenger in the capital last year, a case that sparked fresh fears in a city plagued by sexual violence.

Uber was banned from operating in New Delhi in the aftermath of the December 5 attack, which sparked accusations it failed to conduct adequate background checks, although the ban has never been fully enforced.

The Delhi court found Shiv Kumar Yadav guilty of raping the 25-year-old woman as she returned home from dinner with friends in the Indian capital.

“Shiv Kumar Yadav is convicted of all charges (against him),” Judge Kaveri Baweja said.

Yadav will be sentenced on October 23 after being convicted on four charges — rape, abduction, intimidation and causing harm.

Defence lawyer Dharmender Kumar Mishra said his client would appeal the verdict at a higher court, calling the investigation “flawed”.

Shortly after the attack it emerged that Yadav had been accused of assaulting other women, although he had no previous convictions.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2015

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