Delhi Woman Who Sued Uber Over Rape Accusation Ends US Lawsuit

A woman who sued Uber after accusing one of its drivers of raping her in India has voluntarily ended her lawsuit against the company, according to a court filing on Tuesday.

The passenger, who reported being raped and beaten after hailing a ride with the Uber driver in Delhi last year, sued the online car service in a US federal court in January, claiming the company failed to maintain basic safety procedures.

The driver was arrested by Indian police and appeared in court in December. Uber's Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick at the time called the incident "horrific" and pledged to help "bring this perpetrator to justice."

However, Uber also argued in court filings that the woman sued the wrong corporate entity as the driver had a contract with Uber B.V., a Netherlands-based entity with no US operations.

The court filing did not disclose any details on how the case was settled, and representatives for Uber and the woman declined to comment.

India is one of Uber's largest markets outside the United States by the number of cities covered. The rape allegation triggered protests and reignited a debate about the safety of women in Asia's third-largest economy, especially in New Delhi, which has been dubbed India's rape capital.

Uber, valued at around $50 billion this year, has said it would introduce additional safety measures including more stringent driver checks and an in-app emergency button.

In the lawsuit, the woman, who resides in Delhi and was not named, called Uber the "modern day equivalent of electronic hitchhiking."

"Buyer beware - we all know how those horror movies end," the lawsuit stated.

Earlier this year, both sides had agreed to participate in private mediation to try to resolve the lawsuit, according to court filings.

© Thomson Reuters 2015