Uber received complaint about rape accused driver from another woman

December 10, 2014

Uber cab driverNew Delhi, Dec 10: A US-based woman came forward on Tuesday saying she had filed a complaint with Uber against the driver, accused of raping a 25-year-old executive, almost a week ago. However, no action was taken by the app-based cab hailing service, she alleged.

Shiv Kumar Yadav has been sent to police custody after the reported attack on Friday, when the woman said he raped her in his taxi, threatened to insert a metal rod inside her and ordered her not to tell authorities about the incident.

Nidhi Shah, who took Yadav's cab on November 26, first revealed her experience with Yadav on Twitter. In a series of tweets, Shah posted pictures of the taxi receipt, which had the driver's name written on it, and of her email complaint to Uber.

"I took a cab with Shiv Kumar Yadav in Delhi on November 26, scares me beyond belief," Shah tweeted.

"I had reported Him to Uber. They replied via email that they would check on him," she wrote.

"I was coming from Chandni Chowk and the driver started staring at me and giving me lecherous glances. He kept smiling at me and looking at me using the rare view mirror. The situation became so bad that I had to hide behind the seat to avoid his stares. I later filed a written complaint with Uber but no action was taken against the driver," said Shah told NDTV.

She said she received a reply from Uber saying "someone will have a chat with the driver", but there was no further follow-up.

Shah went back to the US few days after the incident but said that the laid back attitude of people encourages such perpetrators.

"I blame myself for not taking the complaint seriously. Maybe if I had insisted on stricter action, the (rape) incident could have been avoided," she told the TV channel.

Uber's head of Asia operations Allen Penn told Hindustan Times his firm is deeply sorry for the woman who was sexually assaulted and will do everything to support her family.

When asked whether they check the antecedents of the drivers, Penn said his company checks vehicles and all documents in person when a driver registers with them.

"We check drivers license, commercial vehicle registration and banking information. We get that for all the drivers. We have had frequent communication with the police and we hope justice is brought. We know the documents that are required. All payments to drivers are made electronically to their bank accounts. Banks have KYC for all account holders. We will see what else can we do. We will continue to improve."

The 32-year-old has emerged as a notorious serial sexual offender and also got bail in other cases, including one that charged him with illegal possession of a gun.

Yadav was arrested in Mainpuri in 2013 on rape charges but released on bail six months later. Delhi Police have already revealed his involvement in another previous case of rape in 2011, for which he spent seven months in Tihar jail but was let off after the case fell.

Official records show Yadav has a string of criminal complaints against him, including two molestation cases, but managed to obtain a character reference signed by a police officer that appeared to have been forged.

Nidhi Shah

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News Network
March 21,2020

New Delhi, Mar 21: A couple was deboarded from a Delhi-bound Rajdhani train on Saturday after co-passengers observed a home quarantine seal on the husband's hand, the Railways said Saturday.

Officials said the Delhi-based couple boarded the Bangalore City-New Delhi Rajdhani at Secunderabad on Saturday morning.

When the train reached Kazipet in Telangana at 9:45 am, a co-passenger noticed the quarantine mark authorities are putting on suspected coronavirus cases —on the husband's hand when he was washing his hands. Other co-passengers then informed the TTE onboard.

The train was briefly detained and the couple was taken to a hospital. The coach was completely sanitised in Kazipet and was locked, officials said.

The air conditioning was also switched off.

The train left for its destination at 11.30 am.

People fleeing quarantine has been a common problem reported from different parts of the country.

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News Network
April 19,2020

New Delhi, Apr 19: The government on Sunday prohibited the sale of non-essential items through e-commerce platforms during the ongoing lockdown, four days after allowing such companies to sale mobile phones, refrigerators and ready-made garments.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla issued an order excluding the non-essential items from sale by the e-commerce companies from the consolidated revised guidelines, which listed the exemption given to the services and people from the purview of the lockdown.

The order said the following clause "E-commerce companies. Vehicles used by e-commerce operators will be allowed to ply with necessary permissions" is excluded from the guidelines.

The previous order had said such items were allowed for sale through e-commerce platforms from April 20.

However, the reason for reversing the order is not known immediately.

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News Network
June 13,2020

Dehradun, Jun 13: Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane on Saturday said the country is passing through difficult times and its safety and honour depend on the ability of its young officers as military leaders.

Addressing gentlemen cadets at the Indian Military Academy here as the reviewing officer of a passing out parade, Gen Naravane said they are being commissioned as officers into the army under the most daunting of circumstances and the high standards of their military training will help them overcome the challenges lying in store for them.

The parade saw a total of 423 cadets being commissioned into the army including 333 from the country and 90 from friendly foreign countries.

"These are difficult times for the country. Its safety, honour and respect depend on your abilities as military leaders. You have to live up to the expectations of your countrymen. You have to ensure that whatever you do is for their welfare," he said.

The army chief said there are no good or bad regiments but only good officers.

"Become one with your men. Win their trust and affection and they will win battles for you," Naravane said.          

He asked the gentlemen cadets to throw themselves into their new role as commissioned officers with passion but also be compassionate towards their men.

"When the going gets tough and all seems lost, it is the spirit of your men that helps you win," he said.          

He said the gentlemen cadets who are taking their first step as commissioned officers will have to make decisions in the tactical and operational domain as well as resolve ethical issues and they will have only their conscience to guide them.          

"In such critical moments let the core values enshrined in the preamble of the constitution of India be your guiding light," the Army Chief said.

Asking them to rise above petty considerations of caste, creed and religion, he said the army does not discriminate.

Apart from containing the external threats, you may also have to defang internal forces out to destabilise the country.

He said the precise drill movements of the cadets had convinced him they will do their respective countries proud.

"In the autumn of your careers what will matter is not the position you finally attain but how honourably you have served your nation," he said.              

In a message to the gentlemen cadets' parents, who were not allowed to attend the event due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Army Chief said, "Till yesterday they (gentlemen cadets) were your children but from tomorrow they will be ours."

He promised to be with them through thick and thin.

The parade looked slightly off-colour this time with the enthusiastic crowds of parents and some usual features missing like the showering of the drill square with flower petals by helicopters.

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