Uber cab driver a repeat offender, was arrested in a rape case in 2011: Delhi police

New Delhi: The 32-year-old cabbie, who allegedly raped an executive on Friday night, would not have been behind the wheel of the Uber taxi had the US-based company run a background check and got police verification done as he had earlier been jailed too in a rape case.

Shiv Kumar Yadav, who was arrested yesterday in his home town Mathura, is a repeat offender, it was revealed during his initial interrogation by the police.

He has allegedly told the police that he had spent seven months in jail in a rape case, which was filed against him in south Delhi's Mehrauli area in 2011.

"He claims that he was later acquitted in the case. We are verifying these claims," said a police official.

Yadav will be produced before a local court today and his police custody will be sought for further investigation and questioning.

He was brought to Delhi last night after being arrested from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, about 160 km from the national capital.

Read: Delhi rape: Uber CEO blames ‘unclear background checks’ in statement

In her complaint, the woman said that after taking the cab, she had dozed off after a while. Seeing the victim asleep, the accused took the car to a deserted area near Inderlok Ridge area and raped her. In a chilling reminder of the December 2012 gangrape, the cab driver after dropping the victim home, threatened to shove an iron rod inside her, the victim complained.

Medical tests have confirmed rape, police said. It also issued a notice to Uber, the cab service provider, under Section 161 CrPC to join investigation in the case.

“There are norms to operate such cab service set by the transport department and we will see whether they were followed or not,” deputy commissioner of police (north) Madhur Verma said.

The rape accused did not have a public service vehicle (PSV) licence issued by the Delhi Transport Authority, which is mandatory for all drivers plying commercial vehicles, and there was no mandatory Global Positioning System (GPS) installed in the car.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party and NSUI workers were today detained when they staged protests outside Home Minister Rajnath Singh's residence over the rape incident.

AAP activists reached Singh's residence at Ashoka Road this morning with placards criticising the Centre over the failure to check such incidents.

The protesters were stopped and detained by police and taken to Parliament Street Police Station.

"It has been six months since this government came to power but nothing has changed. They used to blame the Centre when UPA was in power and they are now themselves skirting responsibility," said a protester.

The party vowed to raise the issue in Parliament and asked as to what steps the Government had taken to ensure security of women.

"AAP will raise the Uber rape issue in Parliament also," tweeted AAP leader Ashutosh.

The party said they will also protest outside the Lieutenant Governor's House.

Later, NSUI workers also staged a demonstration outside the Home Minister's residence demanding strict punishment for the tax driver.

"The government, which kept on talking about its concern on women issues during poll campaigning is sitting silent over such case. We demand stringent punishment against the rapist," Amrish Ranjan Pandey, National Spokesperson, NSUI said.

"It has been two years since the Nirbhaya incident and this case has again proved how unsafe Delhi is for women," he added.

The outfit claimed that 30 of its protesters were detained and taken to Mandir Marg police station.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the incident was a blot on the society and that stern steps will be taken to check such crimes.

"I believe that there cannot be more unfortunate or shameful incident. We are saddened by incidents like these. Stern steps need to be taken," he told reporters.

The Minister said that existing laws needed to be implemented more effectively and efforts should be made to bring about a perceptional change in the society.

The Delhi Police is under Union Home Ministry, which has come under attack over the shocking incident that took place days ahead of the second anniversary of the December 16 gangrape.