State police issues notice for removal of apps facilitating illegal bike taxi operations in Maharashtra

Mumbai: The state cybercrime department on Friday initiated action against illegal operations of bike taxis across Maharashtra. The office of the additional director general of police, Maharashtra Cyber, has taken cognisance of a complaint from Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik’s office regarding the unauthorised operations of bike taxi applications. It has now issued notice to app store platforms of mobile phones to “remove such applications facilitating unauthorised bike taxi operations from the platform.” Bike taxi aggregators were unavailable for comment.

“This is being done to prevent their widespread use and to safeguard public safety and compliance with the law,” the notice, a copy of which is with TOI, stated. “This notice is being served on you under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, read with the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011, which makes you liable to be charged under Section 85(2) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, or any other relevant provision under any law as it may be applicable,” the notice mentioned. Bike taxi aggregators were unavailable for comment.