An Indian-origin Singaporean lady was sentenced to 2 weeks in jail on Thursday (February 19, 2026) for voluntarily inflicting harm by slapping a taxi driver allegedly over fare at a police station.
Shalini Devarajan, 36, refused to pay her taxi fare of SGD 24 ($19) as a result of she had no money and rejected the cost choices recommended by the motive force.
After the lady challenged him to take her to a police station, the 73-year-old taxi driver complied — and that’s the place she slapped him, in line with a Channel Information Asia report.
The court docket heard that the sufferer was driving a taxi flagged down by one other man at about 3 pm on November 11, 2025.
Ms. Devarajan boarded the cab alone and the sufferer was instructed to take her to her house block in Yishun housing property.
The sufferer observed that Ms. Devarajan reeked of alcohol. He drove the sleeping lady to her vacation spot.
Once they reached the block’s shelter, the motive force woke her up and advised her the fare was SGD 24.
Ms. Devarajan mentioned she had neither money nor any technique of cashless cost. She proceeded to name somebody earlier than saying that she wanted to go as much as her unit to get the cash.
The driving force requested her to go away her cellphone behind earlier than going up, however she refused. The driving force additionally recommended following her as much as the unit, however she refused.
At about 4:20 p.m., Ms. Devarajan slapped the motive force as soon as on his left cheek, inflicting him ache.
The sufferer later went to the hospital for remedy and acquired someday of medical go away.
The taxi fare was not paid and Ms. Devarajan was arrested that very same day.
The prosecution sought compensation of about SGD 172 for the sufferer’s medical payments, however Ms. Devarajan claimed she had no funds or cash in any respect.
In her mitigation, Ms. Devarajan acknowledged she didn’t realise she had a SGD 50 observe in her pocket when advised the fare.
Printed – February 19, 2026 04:38 pm IST