Rapido under fire: FIR registered for running unlicensed bike taxi service in Mumbai

Mumbai Police has registered an FIR against the directors of Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited, the parent company of ride-sharing platform Rapido, for allegedly running an unlicensed bike taxi service.The action comes after six regional transport office (RTO) officers in Mumbai recently booked Rapido bike taxis, confirming the company was operating without required permits.

“We’ve filed a case under Sections 223 (disobedience of lawful orders by public servants) and 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act,” said an officer from Amboli Police Station. The FIR is based on a complaint by Harshal Sose, an inspector with the Mumbai West RTO in Andheri.
The crackdown follows a July 4 directive by Maharashtra transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar, urging RTOs to take action against unauthorised bike taxi operators across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.A day earlier, state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik had booked a Rapido ride undercover from Mantralaya to Dadar to personally verify the platform’s illegal operations, prompting swift enforcement measures.