Was an Uber executive fired for obtaining medical records of Delhi rape survivor?

While Uber was publicly apologetic, some executives, including the APAC head, found it hard to believe that the incident was entirely true.
Was an Uber executive fired for obtaining medical records of Delhi rape survivor?
Was an Uber executive fired for obtaining medical records of Delhi rape survivor?
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Even as an investigation into complaints on sexual harassment by Uber employees is underway, it has emerged that Uber's President for Asia Pacific had obtained medical records of a women raped by an Uber driver in India, reports Recode. While the company claims that the executive Eric Alexander no​ longer works with the company, he reportedly showed the medical records to Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and SVP Emil Michael. 

Several executives at Uber were also shown these records.

This insensitive handling of the issue by Alexander was one of the 215 claims reported to law firm Perkins Coie, which is conducting an extensive investigation into specific and widespread mismanagement issues at the company along with another law firm Covington & Burling.

 The investigation also includes allegations of pervasive sexism and sexual harassment at Uber.

When Recode contacted Uber regarding the 20 employees fired as part of the investigation, the company said that Alexander had not been among those fired.

However, when contacted about his actions, the company said that he is no longer employed there, declining to comment further. 

The incident being referred to is the rape of 26-year-old woman in New Delhi by her Uber driver on a Saturday night in December 2014. 

The driver, who already had four other criminal charges on him, was then sentenced to life in prison. 

Uber faced severe backlash from the Indian government after this incident, which led to the cab aggregator being banned in Delhi for not conducting proper background checks. The ban was eventually lifted in June 2015. 

However, Uber did take measures in improving safety and it's background checks.

According to the Recode report, while the company was publicly apologetic, some executives, including Alexander, found it hard to believe that the incident was entirely true. 

Alexander, who was already in India, reportedly investigated the claims. Recode reports that it’s not clear if he did this of his own volition or was directed to do so. It is also not clear if those files were obtained legally.

These files – part of a criminal investigation -- were then brought to Kalanick and Michael.

Kalanick, Alexander and Michael then raised the prospect that rival Ola could be behind the incident to sabotage the company.

Based on their reading of the medical report, they considered that the woman’s story was true. This is despite the fact that none of them have medical training.

What’s worse is that Alexander had the document for about a year before other executives obtained the report and destroyed his copy, Recode reports.

However, it’s not clear if Uber continues to have a copy.

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