Former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has allegedly been “arrested and handcuffed” by Spanish police in Ibiza after an altercation with a taxi driver.
A Current Affair aired “exclusive footage” of Mr Mehajer on Monday night, showing he and two friends being spoken to and handcuffed by police and put into a police vehicle.
It is not clear if any charges were laid.
ACA said it understood the footage was taken last Friday on the famed party island of Ibiza, and alleged police were called by a cab driver who claimed Mehajar had tried to kick him from the back seat of the cab he and his friends had entered.
The controversial former deputy mayor of Auburn has been on a month-long European sojourn, which he has faithfully kept his followers updated with via Instagram. His most recent photo from Instagram was in Ibiza, Spain, a day ago.
The property developer rose to prominence when his lavish wedding to Aysha shut down a street in western Sydney last year.
The ACA footage showed Mehajer on the side of a road, with friends, at times appearing to laugh with police.
“We understand the arrest, happened Friday night Spanish time, when Salim and his two friends got into a taxi, eating their take away food,” ACA reported.
Ice cream and chips were spilt in the vehicle, and “a heated argument erupted”, ACA continued.
“The driver became annoyed. The driver then claims, from the back seat, Salim attempted to kick him The taxi driver called the police,” according to ACA.
The footage shows Mr Mehajer and the other two men waiting by the side of the road, then two police arriving on foot. The conversation becomes animated, with one of the policeman gesturing expansively.
It then shows Mr Mehajer showing an officer something on his phone. Then police cars arrive, and the men are handcuffed, and put into the cars.
Some of the group appear to be laughing in the back of the cars.
It may well be an adventure Mr Mehajer wasn’t seeking on his month-long European jaunt, which he has Instagrammed dutifully and extensively to his followers as he makes his way through locations including Lebanon, Athens, Santorini, Milan and Mykonos.
His most recent post came from Ibiza a day ago: “Life goes on in Ibiza town. While every bar and club are closed during this season, the ocean remains. There is no better sound to hear than the ocean, the wind, and the rain all at once, late at night,” the post read, with an accompanying picture of a sunset.
Back home, Mr Mehajer’s parents are being pursued by the Australian Taxation Office, which alleges they owe $10 million in unpaid taxes.
Online Source: News.com.au.
