Goa: FIR Against Cabbie, Uber For ‘Illegal’ Operations At Mopa Airport

The Goa police have registered a case against a taxi driver and a ride-hailing service company for allegedly operating without a valid permit at Manohar International Airport, Mopa, an official said on Wednesday.

Superintendent of Police (North Goa) Rahul Gupta said that the FIR was registered on Monday under sections 223 and 318(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), based on a complaint filed by Minesh Tar, assistant director of transport.

It names taxi driver Kaif Shaikh, a resident of Vasco da Gama, and the management of Uber in Goa, he said.

BNS section 223 concerns the offence of disobeying a lawful order promulgated by a public servant, while section 318(3) covers cheating when the offender has knowledge of causing wrongful loss to another person in whose interest they are legally charged.

According to the complaint, around 7.10 am on August 9, Shaikh was allegedly found ferrying passengers for a ride, booked through the Uber mobile application, without obtaining the requisite permit or licence from the state transport department to operate at Mopa airport.

“The unauthorised operation not only violates transport laws but also poses a threat to the safety and security of passengers, besides causing loss of revenue to the state exchequer,” Gupta said.

Further investigation is being carried out by sub-inspector Swapnil Kinalkar of Mopa Airport police station, the official added.