India, Sept. 15 -- The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of Rs.10 Lakh on ride unicorn Rapido for misleading advertisements, unfair trade practices, unfair contract and dark patterns, where consumers are prompted to pay more before their rides are confirmed.

The order, passed by a bench comprising chief commissioner Nidhi Khare and commissioner Anupam Mishra, follows a sector-wide examination of cab aggregators operating in India to understand pre-ride tipping and dynamic pricing practices in India.

During the investigation, the CCPA found that Rapido's app displayed users prompts suggesting specific top-ups of Rs.10, Rs.20 or Rs.30 to improve their chances of getting a ride.

The regulator held that Rap...