Mumbai, Oct 23 (PTI) Police nabbed an auto-rickshaw driver who was allegedly fleecing unsuspecting passengers, mostly foreigners, at the Mumbai International Airport using a tampered fare meter, an official said on Wednesday.

A video of the police action has gone viral.

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The accused has been identified as 43-year-old Vishal Jaiswal from Kurla.

Senior Police Inspector of the Vakola traffic division Sandip Yele stated that police received a tip-off about Jaiswal's auto rickshaw number and his practice of manipulating the fare meter to run excessively fast.

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Upon inspection, authorities discovered that the fare meter was malfunctioning, he said.

Jaiswal demonstrated a hidden button on the auto's handle that allowed him to adjust the meter's speed. A video of the incident was recorded for public awareness and subsequently shared on social media to warn passengers against such scams.

The auto-rickshaw was sent to the Regional Transport Office (RTO), which confirmed the meter manipulation.

A case was registered at Vile Parle police station under relevant sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita Act, including charges of cheating, Yele said.

According to police, Jaiswal primarily targeted foreign passengers unfamiliar with the city's transport system, while local passengers were spared as he would deactivate the tampering feature. Police suspect that there may be more auto drivers engaging in similar practices, an official added.

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