Case Registered Against Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal, Officials After Engineer’s Suicide Note Alleges Harassment

A police case has been filed against Ola Electric founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal, along with other senior officials, following the suicide of 38-year-old engineer K. Aravind, who accused the company of mental harassment and withholding salaries in a 28-page handwritten note. The FIR, registered on October 6, 2025, at Subramanyapura police station under Sections 108 (abetment of suicide) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, was prompted by a complaint from Aravind's brother, Ashwin Kannan. This incident sheds light on mounting workplace stress allegations within India's burgeoning electric vehicle sector, where rapid expansion has strained employee relations amid economic pressures and regulatory scrutiny.

Aravind, a homologation engineer at Ola Electric's Koramangala headquarters since 2022, allegedly attempted suicide on September 28 at his Chikkalasandra apartment by consuming poison, succumbing later at Maharaja Agrasen Hospital despite treatment. His note explicitly blamed superiors, including Head of Homologation Engineering Subrat Kumar Das and Aggarwal, for "sustained workplace harassment" and non-payment of dues, which exacerbated his distress.

The complaint highlighted a suspicious Rs 17.46 lakh NEFT transfer to Aravind's account on September 30—two days post-death—questioning the company's motives and citing evasive responses during family enquiries. Ola Electric, a pioneer in affordable EVs with over 400,000 scooters sold since 2023, faces this probe as part of broader labour concerns, including recent unionisation drives and complaints of 14-hour shifts reported by employees on social media.

In response, Ola Electric issued a statement expressing profound sorrow and denying any prior grievances from Aravind, noting his three-and-a-half-year tenure involved no direct top-management interaction. The company claimed immediate full settlement of dues to his account and affirmed full cooperation with authorities. It has challenged the FIR in the Karnataka High Court, securing protective orders against coercive action.

This legal manoeuvre underscores the tensions between corporate defences and familial accusations, echoing similar high-profile cases like the 2023 Byju's employee distress reports that prompted labour ministry probes. As India's EV market surges toward a $200 billion valuation by 2030, such tragedies highlight the human cost of aggressive growth, with critics arguing for stronger mental health safeguards under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code.

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The investigation continues, with police examining the suicide note's contents and financial records for evidence of intent or negligence. Aravind's family, grappling with loss, demands accountability to prevent future incidents, while Ola vows to uphold a "safe, respectful workplace". This case could catalyse reforms in tech startups' HR practices, potentially influencing investor sentiment toward Ola ahead of its 2025 IPO plans.

For Aggarwal, whose brash leadership style has drawn both acclaim and backlash, the fallout risks reputational damage in a competitive landscape dominated by Tata Motors and TVS. As Bengaluru's innovation hub confronts these shadows, the outcome may redefine corporate responsibility in India's startup ecosystem.

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