Mumbai: FIR Lodged Against Rapido Director For Operating Illegal Bike-Taxi Service

The Mumbai Police have filed an FIR against Rapido's director. This action follows allegations of the company operating bike taxi services illegally through its app. The FIR was lodged at Amboli police station after a complaint from the Regional Transport Commissioner's Office.

According to Harshal Sase, a Vehicle Supervision Officer with the Regional Transport Commissioner's Office, Rapido was running illegal transport services in Mumbai. "Illegal transport services were being operated in the city through the Rapido app. The app operators had not taken permission from the government to run their vehicles in the city and were cheating passengers," he stated.

Legal Violations and Safety Concerns

The complaint highlighted that Rapido did not obtain necessary permissions under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988. This act mandates that apps like Rapido must secure authorisation from relevant government departments. Operating without such permission exposes individuals to legal consequences.

Passenger safety was another major concern raised in the complaint. It alleged that Rapido neglected to perform background and character checks on its drivers. "Neither the background nor character check of the drivers was done, nor proper safety measures were taken, which put the safety of women passengers at risk," as noted in the FIR.

Legal Action Underway

The case has been registered under sections 223 (disobedience of lawful orders issued by public servants) and 318(4) (cheating) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act. The FIR was filed following a complaint by Harshal Sose, an inspector at Mumbai West RTO in Andheri.

The police have begun legal proceedings based on these violations. This move underscores the government's firm stance against unlicensed app-based transport services, ensuring compliance with legal requirements for passenger safety and service legitimacy.