Gurgaon rape case: Police issue notice to Uber to join probe, say accused background not checked

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Sunday issued a notice to international cab-booking service Uber to join the investigation into the alleged rape of a 25-year-old woman under section 161 of CrPC. The woman, who works with an MNC in Gurgaon, was allegedly raped by a cab driver on Friday night.

In her police complaint, the woman said that she left for a dinner from her Gurgaon office at 7 PM. On her way back home, she hired an Uber cab and doused off during the journey. The accused reportedly took her to an isolated place and sexually assaulted her. The accused allegedly threatened the woman against reporting the incident.

Sources have revealed that there was no commercial badge for driver and no background check or verification was done even though he was working with the company for six months.

The probe has revealed that the car was owned by the accused, said sources.

After committing the crime, the accused switched off his phone and the company did not get in touch either with the driver or the woman, they said.

The police had reached Uber's Gurgaon office at 8 am on Saturday but they were not provided any information till 11 am. The company officials said that the server was in New York and even the GPS co-ordinate was provided by head quarters in the US, they said. In its latest statement, Uber said, "Our team immediately provided the local authorities with all relevant details. Uber exclusively partners with registered for-hire drivers who have undergone the commercial licensing process, hold government issued IDs, state-issued permits, and carry full commercial insurance. Uber also has a GPS trace and record of all trips that occur on the platform - information that has been shared with the authorities. We will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials"

According to the sources, the police questioned a close associate of the Uber taxi driver in Mathura.

SSP Mathura Manjhil Saini said, "The accused is from Mathura. That is why Delhi Police has come here and they are trying to trace the accused. The car in which the incident took place belongs to the accused. We have recovered the car and have handed it over to Delhi Police as per law."

An FIR has been registered in the case at the Sarai Rohilla police station in North Delhi.