New Delhi has extended a ban on Uber to all web-based taxi services in the Indian capital, as the US-based operator said it would continue operating despite the order, which followed a rape allegation against one of its drivers.
The city government announced yesterday that it was banning Uber with immediate effect after a young female passenger accused the driver of raping her over the weekend.
Hours later, it said all other taxi service providers that rely on “web-based technology” must also cease operating in the city because they did not comply with local regulations.
But an Uber executive said earlier today that it was still operating in New Delhi and had received no formal notice from the government.
“We have not received any official notification (about the ban). If and when we do, we will of course appeal it,” said the executive, who asked not to be named.
“As of now we have not stopped our operations in Delhi.”
Delhi police said they had registered a case against the company for “cheating” and had summoned its officials for questioning over the alleged rape.
Police said Uber did not conduct a background check on the driver, who had been acquitted of a separate rape charge in 2012. Uber said it complied with local rules and background checks were not required.
The victim dozed off in the taxi as she was returning home from dinner. She told police she woke to find the taxi parked in a secluded place where the driver assaulted and raped her, before dumping her near her home in north Delhi.
