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After word got out that a top Uber executive had obtained and circulated the medical records of a female customer who had been raped by her Uber driver in India, the cab conglomerate now faces a lawsuit, reported The New York Times.
The woman is suing the company’s chef executive, Travis Kalanick, who recently took a leave of absence from Uber after severe conjectures about his abrasive leadership. Along with Kalanick, two former top executives, Emil Michael and Eric Alexander are also being sued for “intrusion into private affairs, public disclosure of private facts and defamation”, reported The New York Times.
Uber had alleged that the woman’s accounts were false and were part of a sabotage plan by local rival in India, Ola.
The lawsuit comes on the heels of several controversies surrounding Uber, from gender discrimination, hostile work culture and sexual harassment. Earlier this week, Uber adopted a number of internal policy and management changes recommended by outside attorneys hired to investigate sexual harassment and the firm's broader culture.
What Is This Case?
The case in question is from late 2014, in New Delhi. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, had booked an Uber and was picked up by the driver, Shiv Kumar Yadav.
Shortly after the ride began, Yadav reportedly turned off his phone and took another route, away from the woman’s destination. He was later arrested and convicted for kidnapping and sexual assault, and is now serving a life sentence.
While publicly Uber executives pledged their cooperation and assistance in the investigation, there was another story unraveling privately, among the top executives.
The woman’s medical records were obtained and the possibility that the rape could have to do with its local competitor, Ola, was being investigated.
A year after the incident, the woman agreed to a private mediation with the company.
But reports of her private medical records being circulated have naturally altered the course of the negotiations. The top executives directly involved with the controversy – and who have also been named in the lawsuit – are no longer with Uber.
Alexander was terminated by the company earlier this month, and on Monday Michael announced his resignation after the law firm investigating Uber’s work culture recommended his exit.
Meanwhile, it is not known how the woman’s confidential medical records were obtained.
(With inputs from Reuters.)
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