Former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has emerged from the police cells after allegedly throwing an EFTPOS machine at a taxi driver outside The Star casino early this morning.

The 30-year-old had been held at the Day St cells where he was questioned over the alleged altercation in the early hours of this morning.

Following the incident — Mehajer jumped into another taxi and was later arrested near the intersection of William and Bourke Streets at Darlinghurst at 5.10am.

media_camera Salim Mehajer emerges after spending several hours in the police cells following the alleged assault of a taxi driver this morning. Picture: Brianne Makin

Officers said an EFTPOS machine and a mobile phone, belonging to the taxi driver, had been found outside The Star and would be forensically examined as part of the investigation into the altercation

Police allege the EFTPOS machine was thrown at the 38-year-old driver, injuring his nose, during the alleged scuffle.

media_camera Mehajer was ordered out of another taxi after being released by police. Picture: Brianne Makin

Mehajer was released about 12.30pm today.

A NSW Police Force spokesman said they’d charged the 30-year-old with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and larceny.

Ironically, he was today booted out of a taxi which arrived to collect him from the police station.

Once journalists told the driver what Mehajer had been accused of, the driver demanded the officer who had released Mehajer get the controversial figure and his mate out of the car.

“Can you get him out please, you have police officer here,” he said.

media_camera The former Auburn deputy mayor was all smiles after being questioned over the altercation outside The Star. Picture: Brianne Makin

Mehajer wouldn’t budge initially, using a floor mat to shield his face from cameras.

“I don’t care, get out of the cab now, get out of the cab now,” the officer told Mr Mehajer.

The officer eventually got Mehajer to leave the cab, where he wandered in circles in the wet side street, waiting for a friend to arrive in one of his trademark sports cars.

media_camera The developer initially tried to grab a cab, but was quickly told to get out. Picture: Brianne Makin media_camera An officer ejects him from the taxi. Picture: Brianne Makin

media_camera The stand-off between police and Mehajer. Picture: Brianne Makin

He said to one female journalist: “you want to jump in the back seat” before driving away.

After initially leaving the police complex, Mr Mehajer tried to avoid waiting journalists.

Asked about murderer Emad Sleiman, who was shot in the chest and leg in Auburn last week, he said “I love Emad” as he jumped into the cab.

Sleiman, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the bar fight murder of Jason Burton in 1997, had his parole revoked and was sent back to prison after the shooting.

media_camera Deputy Auburn Mayor Salim Mehajer and his bride on their wedding day. Picture: Toby Zerna

The former deputy mayor burst into the spotlight in 2015, following his opulent wedding to Aysha (formerly April Amelia Learmonth), which included a cavalcade of sports cars and four helicopters.

It also triggered a probe into Auburn council, which cleared Mr Mehajer of any wrongdoing but did find he may have breached disclosure provisions in the Local Government Act while buying a council car park.

Salim Mehajer arrested and handcuffed in Ibiza Salim Mehajer arrested and handcuffed in Ibiza

Following the review, NSW Local Government Minister Gabrielle Upton dubbed the nuptials “the wedding that killed the council”.

Last night’s alleged incident is not the first time the developer has had run-ins with cabbies.

In November 2016 he was caught on camera being arrested by Spanish police on the party island of Ibiza after an alleged run in with a taxi driver.

No one was charged.

Mr Mehajer will now face Downing Centre Local Court on March 26 over the alleged overnight incident.