Cab aggregators under lens after accused in Delhi minor’s rape-murder case found with criminal past

Delhi Police will serve notices to three major cab aggregators linked to the accused in the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in south Delhi, seeking details of his employment and questioning how he was onboarded despite his criminal background, officials said on Wednesday.

Investigators said the accused, Bashu Kumar Singh (29), had been working with three app-based cab platforms and police will seek documents related to his onboarding, verification process and employment history.

The move comes after it emerged that Singh has five criminal cases registered against him in Bihar, including two for attempt to murder.

Police will examine whether the platforms carried out proper background verification before allowing him to operate commercially, officials said.

Singh, who was arrested on Monday in connection with the kidnapping, rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl from Mehrauli, had been driving a rented hatchback since 2023. The car owner, a Gurugram resident, has also been questioned as part of the investigation.

Before becoming a cab driver, Singh worked as a security guard, police said.

What has further shocked investigators is Singh’s conduct after the crime. Police said after allegedly kidnapping, raping and killing the child near the Faridabad-Gurugram border, Singh returned to his rented accommodation in Chakkarpur in Gurugram, changed his clothes and resumed work within hours.

“He started taking rides again around 6 am as if nothing had happened,” an officer said. He was eventually arrested in Vikaspuri after dropping off a passenger.

Police said Singh was traced within hours through CCTV footage and technical surveillance. During questioning, he allegedly confessed to the crime and later led police to the spot where the girl’s body had been concealed under stones.

A case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered. Police said the chargesheet will be filed at the earliest.