Taxi Driver Charged With Allegedly Raping Passenger Set To Appear In Court
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A city cab driver who is charged with raping a passenger and suspected in another attack is expected to be arraigned today.
Police arrested 40-year-old Gurmeet Singh Tuesday following a sting operation. Investigators say they believe Singh raped two female passengers last year.
Singh's father says police have the wrong man.
"I confidently say that my son cannot do this kind of work," said Dhain Singh. "Never, ever. He's very religious. He's very God-fearing."
Prosecutors charged Singh in the rape a 26-year-old woman in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in May. She told police that she woke up in the cab to find herself tied up, blindfolded and being sexually assaulted at knifepoint.
Sources say police and the Taxi and Limousine Commission launched an undercover sting operation. Police posed as TLC inspectors, offered Singh a cup of water and then snagged his DNA off the cup. They say it was a match.
Now, police say they believe Singh is also responsible for raping a female passenger in Harlem in September, putting paper towels in her mouth to prevent her from screaming. Sources say using the victim's credit card record, detectives linked Singh's taxi to that attack.
Singh is charged with rape, robbery, assault, menacing and sex abuse.
