Indian court sentences Uber cab driver to life sentence for raping woman passenger

An Indian court Tuesday sentenced Uber cab driver Shiv Kumar Yadav, who raped a woman last year to life in prison till death.

The court said the judiciary must deal with such offenders with an "iron hand" so that every woman in the country feels secure.

"Every woman needs to feel secure in her motherland which necessarily demands dealing with such offenders with an iron hand," Additional Sessions Judge Kaveri Baweja said.

The court also directed the 33-year-old Yadav to pay a fine of 21,000 rupees (320 U.S. dollars).

"The rape committed by the convict was not only against the rape survivor in the case, but also against the society at large," the court said.

"He (Yadav) endangered the life of the victim while committing rape upon her and his act demands imposition of the most severe punishment so that it acts as a deterrent and rebuilds the public confidence in the efficacy of law," said the court.

Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava sought maximum punishment for the convict so that a strong message is sent to the society, saying the convict was involved in various other offenses including molestation and rape and there is no room for his reformation.

Yadav was accused of rape by a woman passenger on Dec. 5, 2014, when he brought her home in l Delhi after a party in which she was reportedly drunk. Endit