Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer arrives at a council meeting in August. Credit:Wolter Peeters Shortly afterwards, Cr Mehajer took to Facebook to criticise police for "continuing to make a fool not only of themselves, but of our country", claiming his "BRAND NEW" $250,000 Mercedes G63 AMG was incorrectly issued with a defect notice. Cr Mehajer told Fairfax Media in an email that his wife Aysha was behind the wheel at the time. "She was told to walk home and leave the car behind," he said. Asked whether he had spoken to police, Cr Mehajer said: "No documents have been served on me." That changed by early afternoon when police said in a statement they had "served a 29 year old man with a future court attendance notice for the offence of intimidation".

Salim Mehajer's post on Facebook in October 2015 about the defect notice. Intimidating a person or their child is punishable by up to two years in prison in NSW, or a $5500 fine, or both. "He'll appear at Burwood Local Court on the 19th of November this year," the statement said. Salim Mehajer leaves Auburn council chambers in August. Credit:Wolter Peeters Following the police statement, Cr Mehajer told Fairfax Media he was not personally served and "I have left this in the hands of counsel" before noting the court notice was to "answer allegations".

"I will remain patient with such, as eventually, justice will be served," Cr Mehajer email said. The matter relates to an incident outside Anytime Fitness gym on Railway Parade, Burwood, on September 16. Cr Mehajer was allegedly involved in an altercation with Bruce Herat, who works as a personal trainer at the gym, after Mr Herat asked him to stop dropping weights on the gym's floor. NSW Police confirmed at the time they had received a report of an incident on September 16 involving two men aged 29 and 52 in which a number of alleged threats were made. After following Mr Herat to his car, Mr Mehajer allegedly confronted the 52-year-old, saying: "Don't you know who I am?" Channel Seven reported last month.

But when it comes to the Facebook post about his Mercedes and its side exhausts, Cr Mehajer may have a point. David McCarthy, PR manager for Mercedes Benz Australia, said that, although many police officers assumed the car's side exhaust was illegal, "it actually isn't". "The vehicle is certified under the Australian Design Rules," Mr McCarthy said. "Assuming that it hasn't been modified, then those side exhausts are 100 per cent compliant."