NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An Indian court sent the Uber taxi driver accused of raping a young passenger to judicial custody for two weeks after the attack in New Delhi led the government to request a nationwide ban on the popular US online cab company.

Judge Ravindra Kumar Pandey on Wednesday ordered the accused Shiv Kumar Yadav, 32, to be kept in Delhi's Tihar jail until Dec 24. He also asked the police to explain steps taken against Uber executives.

The case has caused uproar in India after it emerged that the suspect had been previously charged with sexual offences, including rape. Uber failed to uncover the charges because it does not carry out background checks on drivers in India.