India, July 3 -- Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik has exposed the illegal operation of bike taxis in Mumbai by personally booking a ride through the Rapido app - contradicting his own department's claims that such services were not running.

The transport minister said he received an "official" assurance from a senior transport department official that bike taxis were not operating illegally in the city. But to verify the claim, he carried out a check himself.

"I booked a ride from Mantralaya to Dadar using a different name," Sarnaik told reporters. "Within 10 minutes, a rider showed up outside Babu Genu Junction."

The app had quoted a fare of Rs.195 for the journey. When the biker from the Rapido arrived, Sarnaik revealed ...