Bengaluru: Ola Electric Mobility Limited has released a statement addressing ongoing media reports and police proceedings that name its Chief Executive Officer Bhavish Aggarwal and senior executive Subrat Kumar Dash in connection with the death of an employee in Bengaluru last month.
Police records show that a case was registered on October 6 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to abetment of suicide. The complaint was filed by the brother of the deceased employee, K. Aravind, who worked in the company’s homologation department.
According to reports, Aravind, aged 38, allegedly died by suicide on September 28 after being admitted to Maharaja Agrasena Hospital. Authorities initially treated the death as unnatural before upgrading the case following the discovery of new evidence.
Investigation Underway
Investigators recovered a 28-page handwritten note from Aravind’s residence, in which he reportedly mentioned workplace stress and unpaid dues. The family later raised questions about a transfer of Rs 17.46 lakh made to Aravind’s bank account two days after his passing, terming the transaction unusual.
A First Information Report (FIR) was subsequently filed against Aggarwal, Dash, and Ola Electric. The matter is currently under judicial consideration before the Karnataka High Court.
Clarification and Legal Response
In a regulatory filing dated October 21, Ola Electric expressed condolences to Aravind’s family and clarified that the employee had not raised employment-related grievances or complaints during his tenure. The company stated that the final settlement payment was processed immediately after his death to support his family, and that Aravind’s role did not involve any direct interaction with senior management.
Ola Electric further confirmed that it is cooperating with investigators and emphasized that no chargesheet has been filed thus far. The company also asserted that the case does not qualify as a “material event” under the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, but assured exchanges that future disclosures will be made as required by law.
Court’s Interim Protection Order
On October 17, the Karnataka High Court issued an interim order protecting the named executives from coercive action. Justice Mohammed Nawaz directed that the police should not harass the petitioners under the guise of investigation in the ongoing case (Cr. No. 372/2025 of Subramanyapura Police Station, Bengaluru City).
The court has sought formal responses from the State and from the complainant, Ashwin Kannan, who is the deceased employee’s brother. The matter will be reviewed in subsequent hearings.
Previous Related Incident
The development follows another case from May 2025 involving Nikhil Somwanshi, a machine learning engineer associated with Krutrim, Ola’s AI subsidiary. At that time, the company stated that the employee had been on personal leave, and no link was found between work conditions and the incident.
Ola Electric has reiterated its commitment to transparency and stated that it remains in full compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements as the investigation continues.
