Representing the victim, Land Public Transport Transformation Association president M Nathan said the driver, S Kantharaj, 45, accepted the passenger’s booking for a multiple-destination ride on Dec 6.

“The trip went from point A to point B, then back to point A. When there is an intermediate stop, the app requires the driver to wait three minutes, which he did as usual,” Nathan said at a press conference here.

He said the passenger asked Kantharaj to wait for him to deliver a “lawyer’s letter”.

He said CCTV footage later allegedly showed the passenger committing an act that led to a fire during the waiting period before returning to the vehicle and completing the journey.

Nathan said the passenger fled without paying upon reaching his destination, and that Grab later compensated Kantharaj for the due fare.

He said the booking and passenger details were legitimate and recorded on the platform.

He claimed that later on Jan 6, three police officers went to Kantharaj’s home and arrested him in front of his family, with no warrant or explanation.

Kantharaj’s phone and car were seized, and he was remanded for four days. He was later produced in court in lock-up attire and handcuffs, despite having cooperated with investigators.

“He just did his job as a driver. He didn’t know who the passenger was, his background or what he did when he stepped out of the car,” Nathan said.

He said Grab’s “quiet ride” feature, which was turned on during the ride, discourages unnecessary interaction with passengers.

Kantharaj’s lawyer, S Vigines, said the arrest breached constitutional safeguards and amounted to wrongful detention as he was not told why he was arrested.

He said the remand was unnecessary as investigators could have obtained all relevant information directly from Grab.

The passenger allegedly responsible for the arson has yet to be arrested.

“If the police fail to provide a satisfactory explanation, we will pursue a civil suit for compensation,” he said.

Vigines urged the transport ministry to mandate passenger identity verification, including eKYC, across all e-hailing platforms, and to establish clear standard operating procedures for handling drivers during criminal investigations.

Kantharaj said the experience had left him severely traumatised, with lasting effects on his family.

He said his children were distressed, one fell ill and another missed examinations, while the family lost income as he was unable to work without his car and phone.

FMT has reached out to the police for a response.