Rapido founders booked for running illegal bike taxi service
What's the story
The founders of the popular bike taxi app, Rapido, have been booked in Nagpur for allegedly running "petrol-powered" bike taxi services without government permission. The case was registered at the Sitabuldi police station against Rishikesh S R, Pavan Guntupalli and Aravind Sanka. They are the founders of Roopen Transportation Services Private Limited, which operates the Rapido app.
Legal proceedings
Complaint filed by Nagpur RTO official
The case against the Rapido founders was filed on the complaint of Nagpur Regional Transport Office (RTO) Motor Vehicle Inspector Vishal Madhukarrao Bhovte. The official alleged that a special drive against illegal passenger transport was conducted on June 23. During this campaign, a bike ride booked through the Rapido app from Ravi Bhavan to Priyadarshini Colony for ₹22 was flagged.
Vehicle inspection
Vehicle seized, action taken under Motor Vehicles Act
The vehicle (MH-31/GC-0850) that was booked through the Rapido app was brought to the RTO office for inspection. It was found that a private two-wheeler was allegedly being used as a bike taxi without the required license or permit. The vehicle has since been seized and action taken under the Motor Vehicles Act, an official said.
Allegations
Complaint alleges Rapido violated transport rules
The complaint against Rapido also alleged that the company has not obtained permission from the Maharashtra government or the Regional Transport Authority to operate petrol-powered bike taxi services. It further claimed that by promoting private vehicles for commercial passenger transport, Rapido has violated transport rules, jeopardized passenger safety, and caused financial loss to the government.
Charges
Case registered under multiple sections of BNS
A Sitabuldi police station official said a case has been registered against the Rapido founders under several sections. These include 318 (3), 3 (5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and 66, 93, 192 A, 193 and 199 of the Motor Vehicles Act as well as section 66 (d) of the Information Technology Act. Further investigation into the matter is still underway.