Delhi court to pass order on plea against Ola, Uber today

A Delhi court on Saturday said it would pronounce on Monday its order on a plea seeking prosecution of app-based cab service providers, including Ola and Uber, for allegedly violating the fare rules.

The matter would come up on July 31 as Metropolitan Magistrate Abhilash Malhotra, who was scheduled to pass the order on Saturday, was on leave.

The court had earlier recorded pre-summoning evidence advanced by complainant NGO, Nyayabhoomi, through its secretary Rakesh Agarwal, in support of the complaint which also sought to summon of the three firms as accused.

The court, however, had treated as "dismissed as withdrawn" an application filed by the same NGO seeking lodging of FIR against three app-based cab service providers, Ola, Uber and 'Taxi for Sure', holding that the offences alleged in the plea under the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act were "non-cognisable".

It had allowed the complainant to lead evidence in support of the complaint under the CrPC that these three cab companies were also allegedly violating permit conditions by running vehicles on diesel and providing point-to-point service in Delhi, violating Supreme Court orders.

The NGO has sought recovery of a whopping Rs 91,000 crore from cab service providers for allegedly not adhering to rules relating to fares and not operating by meters.

It had sought lodging of FIR alleging that by providing taxi and auto rickshaw services, they were violating permit conditions which amounted to commission of offence under the MV Act.

The complaint was filed against ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd which runs Ola, Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd and the Serendipity Infolabs Pvt Ltd which runs 'Taxi For Sure'.

The NGO has also sought recovery of an additional penalty of Rs 26,000 crore from the firms and jail term for them.