New not-so-flattering reports about Uber , which has been banned in India , as one of the company's taxi drivers was arrested on charges of raping a female passenger. In a statement issued today, the Delhi transport department said that the company's mobile taxi- hailing app is being "blacklisted" from providing transportation services in the Indian capital.
The driver, Shiv Kumar Yadav, was arrested on Sunday on charges of raping a 25-year-old woman who was returning home from dinner on Friday night. As Reuters reports, Yadav, 32, had previously faced rape charges in 2011, but the case was settled.
The incident comes two years after the “fatal” gang rape of a woman on a bus in New Delhi, which sparked nationwide protests and led to calls for stricter laws to protect women in India. Police in New Delhi have questioned Uber executives about their hiring practices and how the company conducts background checks on prospective drivers.
“Any violation by Uber will be assessed and we will take legal action,” Madhur Verma , deputy commissioner of police in Delhi, told Reuters
Uber has expanded rapidly across India in the past year and has proven particularly popular with women, who see it as a safer option for their transportation. According to recent government statistics, more women were raped in Delhi in 2012 than in any other major Indian city (585 cases were reported alone).
In a statement issued before Monday's ban, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick sought to disavow responsibility for Friday's incident in India, noting that the company's clear background check policies have not been implemented by the government in Delhi.
“We will work with the government to introduce robust background checks that are currently missing from India’s ride-hailing licensing programs,” Kalanick said. “We will also work closely with groups leading the way on women’s safety here in New Delhi and across the country, and invest in technological advancements to help make New Delhi a safer city for women.”
Source: digitallife.gr
