MVD detects illegally operated mobile app-based rent-a-cab service in Ernakulam

The Motor Vehicles department (MVD) in Ernakulam has unearthed a mobile application-based rent-a-cab service whereby hundreds of private cars were found to be illegally rented out.

It is suspected that over 200 such private cars were being operated centred around the Kochi airport and even more in the city limits. As per the MVD’s inquiry report, a WhatsApp group by the name ‘Suspected Profiles’ was found operating centred around the Kochi airport as a facilitator for the alleged illegal service.

According to the existing rules, private cars are not permitted to be rented out. It was found that the alleged illegally run service had no office anywhere in the State and was entirely mobile application-driven. “According to information available to us, the operations of the app were based in Bengaluru. The MVD was impleaded in a case registered based on a petition by a car owner whose vehicle that was being operated as part of the illegal platform was never returned. We will submit a statement of facts to the court,” said a senior MVD official.

The illegal operations were detected by a team led by Motor Vehicle Inspector Aseem V.I. On Tuesday (November 12), using a disguised identity, Mr. Aseem booked a sedan on the app for four hours between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. and paid ₹819. He received a WhatsApp message asking him to collect the car from a particular location. The officer then began receiving a series of calls requesting him to cancel the booking, which he declined, choosing to stick with it.

As the car with the specified registration number was not found at the location, Mr. Aseem retrieved the car owner’s details from the app and called him. However, the owner said that the car was parked at his home and was not available for any rent-a-cab service. It is suspected that the calls requesting the cancellation of the booking were an attempt to replace the car, which had been listed on the app without the owner’s knowledge, with another car.

Later, a person who identified himself as Salim and was linked to the application arrived at the location. It emerged that he had listed the car on the app after lifting the details, complete with a picture, from an e-commerce portal for selling items. He was booked for the offence, and two other private cars found parked at the location and used as part of the app were also taken into custody.

Salim was summoned to the Ernakulam Regional Transport Office on Wednesday (November 13). His statement threw light on the functioning of the alleged illegal service. The inquiry report recommended that the matter be handed over to the cyber police for further investigation.

Published - November 15, 2024 07:57 pm IST