Overview
- Police say the incident occurred on January 12 after US national Argentina Ariano landed in Mumbai and was taken on a 20-minute detour before being dropped at a hotel roughly 400 metres from the airport.
- Ariano’s January 26 post on X naming taxi MH 01 BD 5405 triggered a suo motu FIR and a rapid probe using hotel CCTV and the vehicle’s registration.
- Investigators seized a white Toyota Etios registered to S.M.S. Tours and Travels and identified the accused as 50-year-old permit driver Deshraj Yadav of Sahar Village.
- Yadav was arrested within hours and is in judicial custody, while police continue to search for alleged accomplice Taufiq Shaikh, who is accused of taking the cash and fleeing to Uttar Pradesh.
- The case is registered under BNS sections including 318(4) for cheating, the RTO has been asked to cancel the driver’s licence, and police are seeking the victim’s statement via video call or email.