A 27-year-old Indian-Canadian Uber driver has been formally charged with sexually assaulting a young female passenger during a ride in Alberta, Canada. The incident has raised serious concerns about passenger safety within ride-sharing services.
Details of the Alleged Assault in Lethbridge
The case involves Manvir Singh, who was working as an UberX driver. According to police reports, the incident occurred on November 9 last year. The 20-year-old victim had booked a ride home after visiting the Chinook Regional Hospital. She was picked up from a business on the southside of Lethbridge.
After a brief stop at a downtown location, the driver allegedly diverted from the intended route. He is accused of taking the woman to a secluded spot in the Lethbridge River Valley, where the sexual assault is said to have taken place. Following the alleged attack, the woman was dropped off at her residence.
Investigators made a crucial discovery: the detour to the river valley and the final leg of the journey to the victim's home were not recorded in the Uber app's trip log. This discrepancy became a key part of the evidence.
Flight, Arrest, and Bail Conditions
When officers went to Singh's home to investigate, they found he had left Canada. Authorities seized his vehicle and issued a warrant for his arrest. Singh later returned to Canada on December 27, 2025.
He was detained by the Canada Border Services Agency upon his arrival at Vancouver International Airport. Singh was subsequently transported to Lethbridge and made his first court appearance on January 5, 2026.
The accused has been released on bail with strict conditions, which include:
- Having no contact with the victim.
- A prohibition on leaving the province of Alberta.
- Surrendering his passport to authorities.
Singh is scheduled to appear in court again on January 9.
A Similar Case in Edmonton
In a separate but related incident, another former Uber driver in Alberta has been charged with a similar crime. This case occurred in Edmonton on June 30, 2024.
Police state that a woman booked a ride downtown and was picked up by a dark 2023 Nissan Rogue. During the trip, the driver stopped the vehicle and allegedly sexually assaulted the passenger.
After a lengthy investigation, 32-year-old Gurvinder Pannu was arrested in August of the same year. He faces a charge of sexual assault. Pannu was also released with conditions, which explicitly ban him from working for any ride-share or taxi service and prohibit any contact with the complainant.
These back-to-back cases involving drivers of Indian origin in Alberta have sparked discussions about safety protocols, background checks, and accountability within the gig economy, particularly for ride-sharing platforms that operate globally.
