Cabbie charges Rs.500 for 2km ride, loses licence after PMO intervenes
Image: Representational
A Singaporean tourist was taken for a ride, quite literally, by a Marol-based cabbie who charged him a whopping Rs 500 for dropping him from Hotel Lalit to the T2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.
Identified as Jamil Khan, the taxi driver initially demanded Rs 200 from Raymond Yeo, a Singapore national, for taking him to the airport from his hotel – the distance between the two is hardly 2 kms.
However, once Yeo reached his destination he was made to pay Rs 500 instead for the “excessive luggage” that comprised of his handbag and two suitcases.
Realising that he has been duped, Yeo filed a complaint with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that eventually made its way to Thane RTO, as the vehicle and the transport company to which it belonged were registered in Thane.
As the request was directed from the PMO, an inquiry was initiated. During the probe, it was found that the vehicle’s registration number and its number plate were all fake, following which the RTO suspended the cab owner’s permit for 30 days.
Also, as Yeo had managed to snap a picture of the driver and has submitted it proof, it was easy for the authorities to track Khan, who later confessed to his crime.
However, Khan’s license was issued by the Andheri RTO, its counterpart in Thane recommended officials at Andheri RTO to suspend his driving licence permanently.
Impressed by the response to his complaint, Yeo expressed surprise over the government taking up the matter so seriously.
