Despite an ongoing government ban and multiple court orders, bike taxi aggregator Rapido has once again landed in serious legal trouble. The Regional Transport Office (RTO) has registered a criminal case against Roppen Transport Pvt Ltd, the company that operates Rapido, for allegedly running illegal bike taxi services in Mumbai.

The case was filed at Nehru Nagar police station following a late-night decoy operation conducted by Motor Vehicle Inspectors Manisha Ashok More and Vikas Sampat Lohkare.

Decoy Operation Exposes Active Rides

To test whether the platform was still functional despite the ban, the officials used an office driver to book three bike rides through the Rapido app, from Nehru Nagar to Sion Hospital. All three bookings were successfully accepted, and the riders arrived as per schedule—confirming that the service was operational.

Upon verification, the bikes were found to be operating without valid commercial permits. Each rider was fined ₹10,000 under Section 66 (permit requirement) and Section 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Permanent disablement provisions under Section 142 were also applied.

Serious Allegations: Safety, Revenue & Regulatory Defiance

The RTO has accused Rapido of violating the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2020, and Section 66 of the Motor Vehicles Act, which strictly prohibits private vehicles from being used for commercial passenger transport without permission.

Officials also flagged major safety concerns—especially for women passengers—since the riders allegedly operate without mandatory police verification, background checks, or security audits.

The complaint alleges that Rapido continues to generate revenue through unauthorised operations despite being explicitly barred by authorities.

Courts Had Already Ordered Shutdown

The case becomes more serious given Rapido’s legal history in Maharashtra:

• Rapido’s application was rejected by the Pune RTA in December 2022


• The Bombay High Court ordered the shutdown of the app in January 2023


• The Supreme Court of India later dismissed Rapido’s Special Leave Petition in 2023

Despite these rulings, the RTO claims the company continued operations through digital loopholes.

Criminal, IT Act & Transport Laws Invoked

Multiple sections have been applied in this fresh case, including:

• MV Act Sections: 66, 192A, 93, 130, 177, 193, 197


• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita: Section 318(3) for cheating


• IT Act: Section 66(D) for cheating using digital platforms

This makes the case not just a regulatory breach but a serious criminal and cyber offence as well.

What This Means for Commuters

This development once again highlights the legal uncertainty and safety risks around bike taxi services in cities where clear policy frameworks are still evolving. While app-based mobility promises convenience, enforcement gaps continue to raise concerns for passenger safety and regulatory compliance.