BJP MLA Parag Shah, the sitting legislator from Ghatkopar East, was allegedly involved in an altercation with an auto-rickshaw driver in the Ghatkopar area on Friday, during which he is seen slapping the driver. A video of the episode surfaced online, showing Shah stopping an autorickshaw that was allegedly being driven in the wrong direction and slapping the driver.

In a statement issued later by the BJP leader, Shah said he was responding to complaints from local residents regarding autorickshaw drivers violating traffic rules. Though he did not mention anything on the “slap”, he said, “Some individuals are trying to tarnish my reputation by circulating a video of me questioning an unruly auto-rickshaw driver.”