Indian-origin man jailed for abusing taxi driver in Singapore

Singapore, August 27

A 48-year-old Indian-origin Singaporean man was jailed here for hurling vulgarities and racially charged slurs at a Chinese descent taxi driver, according to a media report.

Sahayanathan Anthony admitted to being drunk in a public place and causing annoyance to 66-year-old Tan Take Hok, The Straits Times reported.

He was sentenced to two weeks and three days' jail on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment.

Sahayanathan and his wife had boarded the taxi in Toh Guan Road near Jurong East Central on October 30 last year.

Sahayanathan directed the cabbie to take them to Plaza Singapura shopping mall in Orchard Road.

As they were on their way to the mall, Sahayanathan became agitated. He felt the cabbie had taken a longer route to their destination.

He then started to verbally abuse the driver.

State Prosecuting Officer (SPO) M Mariyappan said that Sahayanathan did not pay 17.80 Singaporean dollar fare when the taxi arrived at the mall.

"The accused informed the complainant that he was rushing to purchase a hand phone inside the mall and would come back later to pay the taxi driver once he was done... The accused and his wife then alighted from the taxi," the SPO said.

The complainant did not agree to the arrangement, as he had concerns that the accused might not come back to settle his taxi fare.       Tan called the police and also followed the couple into the mall so as not to lose sight of them. PTI