The Bengaluru Police registered a case against Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal and other senior officials for allegedly abetting the suicide of an engineer, K Aravind.
The deceased had left behind a 28-page suicide note detailing harassment at work. His family accused the company of making a suspicious bank transfer worth Rs 17 lakh after his death to hide irregularities.
The police initially recorded it as an unnatural death in early October, but new evidence led to a formal FIR naming Aggarwal, Subrat Kumar Dash, and other Ola employees.
Suicide Note Of 28 Pages
The investigating officers said Aravind’s note, addressed to his brother, accused Bhavish Aggarwal and Subrat Kumar Dash of workplace harassment and excessive pressure. Reports stated that Aravind worked as a homologation engineer with Ola Electric since 2022.
The note mentioned salary delays, withheld allowances, and humiliation by the management. Police sources confirmed that the document formed the main basis for the case.
Family members alleged that Ola transferred Rs 17,46,313 to Aravind’s account two days after his death. His brother, Ashwin Kannan, claimed that company officials could not give a clear reason for the transaction. Three representatives from Ola had reportedly visited the family home but gave inconsistent answers. The family alleged that the transfer aimed to cover up internal financial irregularities. The complaint filed by Ashwin Kannan stated that Ola’s management tried to shift blame onto Aravind to conceal their mistakes and protect senior officials.
Ola issued a statement expressing grief over the employee’s death and said the company was cooperating with investigators. The spokesperson stated that Aravind had not raised any complaint or grievance during his service of over three and a half years.
The company said his role did not require direct contact with Bhavish Aggarwal or other top executives. Ola confirmed that it had challenged the FIR in the Karnataka High Court, where protective orders were passed in favor of the company and its officials. The investigation remains ongoing.
Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
