GPS manipulating case: Crime Branch summons cab aggregator

The Mumbai Crime Branch on Monday issued a witnesses summons to Ola cabs in connection with the GPS manipulating case. The Crime Branch had arrested three Ola partner drivers on Sunday for allegedly manipulating the GPS tracker in their phones to increase the kilometres to convince passengers into paying more. The arrested drivers have also claimed that Ola is aware of this.

"Summons have been issued to officials of Ola Cab. We have asked the concerned person with expertise about the app and GPS tracker to appear before the investigating officer," said Vinayak Mer, senior police inspector, Unit 1 of Mumbai Crime Branch During the interrogation of the main accused, the Crime Branch has learnt more about the modus operandi of the Ola partner drivers.

The main accused has told the Crime Branch that he learned about the tactic few months ago and it has been used by several drivers for the past three years.

How the technique works

"What we understood is that the technique works only when there is a traffic jam between the period when they switch off and switch on the GPS tracker within a kilometre. For example, if a passenger took the cab from the airport and driver switches off the GPS tracker near Mankhurd bridge after noticing a moderate traffic, when he switches it on, it will appear that he took a ride from Mankhurd to the Wadala cinemax and then reached Vashi," an
officer said.

The Crime Branch had sent dummy passengers to learn the modus operandi.

Also read: Mumbai Crime: 3 App-Cab Drivers Held For Tricking Customers

"When we took a ride from the airport to Panvel, at the time of booking the fare was R610 but once we reached Panvel the final fare was R1,240, almost double the amount. In such a case if the customer argues, the driver will say it is the company's problem not his. But most of the customers coming from the airport don't care and pay whatever amount appears on the app," an officer added.

According to Crime Branch officials, the accused drivers have also confessed that many a time they been fined as default penalty, but this happens only if the customer complains to Ola for overcharging.

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