India’s leading EV maker Ola Electric faces fresh scrutiny after South Korea’s LG Energy Solution alleged that a former LG researcher leaked proprietary pouch-type ternary lithium‑ion battery manufacturing know-how to the Indian company, prompting a formal investigation by Korean authorities, according to multiple reports released this week. The probe, which has been escalated under South Korea’s industrial security laws for “national core technology,” centers on whether production steps, material ratios, and process parameters were transferred as the researcher moved to an Ola unit in late 2023. Ola has publicly positioned its roadmap around 4680 cylindrical cells, creating a technical mismatch with the pouch-cell leak allegation now under investigation, a point flagged in industry coverage of the developing case.​

Korean media report that the former LG principal researcher, identified only as “Mr. A,” was referred to prosecutors on October 16 on charges tied to the Act on the Prevention of Divulgence and Protection of Industrial Technology, with police searches reportedly securing materials related to the leak; the individual allegedly acknowledged transmitting information to Ola but claims he was unaware it was confidential, per Asia Business Daily’s account. InsightEV’s summary notes the matter falls under “National Core Technology,” elevating it to a government-led case, and highlights that Ola has recruited ex-LG talent, including a senior executive named in Ola’s DRHP, underscoring tight labor crossovers in advanced cells. NDTV Profit’s roundup similarly cites Businessline’s reporting on the allegation, the multi-agency probe in Seoul, and industry comments questioning Ola’s technology provenance.​

The allegations surface as Ola scales its cell ambitions: the company unveiled an indigenous 4680 “Bharat” cell in 2024, claimed over 70 related patents, and outlined a path from 5 GWh to 100 GWh capacity by 2030, asserting “we didn’t import the tech, we built it ourselves”. By October 2025, Ola obtained ARAI certification for a 5.2 kWh battery pack using in‑house 4680 cells for upcoming scooters, signaling movement from pilot to deployment and deeper vertical integration in India’s EV supply chain. These milestones, however, now coincide with LG’s pouch-cell leak claims—technologically distinct from 4680 cylindrical cells—raising questions industry observers say Ola must address as investigations proceed.​

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Contextually, Ola has navigated other IP and compliance flashpoints: in July 2024, MapmyIndia parent CE Info Systems served a legal notice alleging license agreement violations over API/SDK usage, even as Ola’s parent has maintained a long-standing licensed pact since 2015, illustrating the recurring sensitivity around third‑party IP in its stack, NDTV Profit recaps. Businessline’s report also references an FIR Ola filed in a separate matter involving a former director and alleged data theft under India’s IT Act, reflecting a broader climate of IP protection pressures around the company’s expansion phase. Industry veteran Dhivik Ashok was cited saying a former LG employee is Ola’s highest paid, a claim used to underline talent flows and competitive dynamics in cell tech hiring.​

What’s next: The Seoul Metropolitan Police’s industrial technology unit has transferred the LG case to prosecutors; LGES says it alerted authorities promptly, while Indian media note Ola did not immediately respond to questionnaires at publication time. Given Ola’s focus on cylindrical 4680 cells and LG’s allegation centered on pouch-type chemistries, investigators will likely parse scope, timelines, and any operational overlap as Ola ramps its 4680 line and Battery Innovation Centre in Bengaluru, backed by a stated $500 million investment. With India’s first ARAI‑certified in‑house 4680 pack now cleared for market use, the legal and technical outcomes in Seoul could carry material reputational and partnership implications for Ola’s cell ramp in 2026 and beyond.

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