Delhi Police may file FIR against Uber in rape case

New Delhi: Delhi Police is considering filing an FIR against Uber as investigators probing the rape of a 27-year-old woman have found "criminal negligence" and "abetment" to crime by the US-based cab company whose general manager was grilled on Monday.

Uber's general manager (marketing) Gagan Bhatia, who claims to be the in-charge of the company's India operations, during his day-long questioning has not been able to provide much information to the police regarding the company's operations and its policies.

"We may book the company under CrPc section 188 and other charges as criminal negligence and abetment to the crime have been made out against Uber," said a senior Delhi police officer.

The investigations have gathered momentum amid growing outrage over the rape allegedly by a driver of Uber who had been arrested on Sunday.

"We wanted to know the role of the company while it brings the customer and the car driver into contact through its App. What is the liability of the company if the driver commits a crime as in this case. What is the business model, how it works, who are its promoters," the officer said.

Sources privy to the investigation revealed that Bhatia could not come up with satisfactory answers to these questions posed by cops and he has been asked to produce the documents regarding the operations of the company in India.

"He first told us that there is no country head and he reports to one guy who heads its operation at EMEA (Europe-Middle East-Asia). If we don't get satisfactory

answers from Bhatia we may call this EMEA head for questioning," the officer added.

He added that they have come across gross violations on part of the company in terms of violation of the Motor Vehicle Act and others. "We may book the company under section 188 of CrPc and other sections as criminal negligence and abetment to the crime have been made out against Uber. As of now we are seeing what sections could be added and whether a separate FIR has to be filed or it would be merged in the same FIR and under what sections we have to file it," he added.