Ola Employee Found Dead by Suicide in Bengaluru; FIR Registered Against CEO Bhavish Aggarwal and Others, Company Approaches Karnataka High Court

Bengaluru : Senior Ola Electric Engineer Ends Life, FIR Lodged Against Founder & Senior Executive

A criminal case has been registered against Bhavish Aggarwal, founder of Ola Electric, and other company officials following the death of a 38-year-old engineer employed by the firm in Bengaluru. The deceased reportedly accused the company’s leadership of harassment and non-payment of dues in a handwritten note that surfaced after his death.

According to police records, the engineer identified as K Aravind had been working at Ola Electric as a homologation engineer since 2022. On 28 September 2025, he allegedly consumed poison at his residence in the Chikkalasandra area of Bengaluru. He was discovered in a distressed condition by his friends, who took him to the Maharaja Agrasena Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries later the same day. www.ndtv.com+2India Today+2

Following his death, the investigating police recovered a 28-page handwritten document from his room in which Aravind purportedly blamed senior management — by name — for sustained mental harassment, denial of salary and allowances, and intolerable work-pressure. The document allegedly names Bhavish Aggarwal and another senior official, Subrat Kumar Dash, head of vehicle homologations & regulations at Ola Electric. www.ndtv.com+2India Today+2

The deceased’s brother, Mr Ashwin Kannan, filed a formal complaint at the Subramanyapura police station in Bengaluru on 6 October, based on which an FIR was lodged under Section 108 (abetment of suicide) read with Section 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)-2023 against Dash, Aggarwal and other unidentified persons. The Tribune+1

Compounding suspicions, the family questioned a fund transfer made to the late engineer’s account. Two days after his death, ola say his account received a sum of approximately ₹17.46 lakh via NEFT. When the brother sought explanation, he says he received vague, inconsistent responses from Ola officials. The family has alleged this transfer could be part of an attempt to cover up deeper issues. www.ndtv.com+1

In response to the incident, Ola Electric issued a statement expressing grief at Aravind’s “unfortunate demise” and offered condolences to his family. The company said Aravind had been with the firm for over three years, and never raised any formal grievance or complaint regarding harassment during his employment. It added that his role did not involve direct interaction with the company’s top management, including the promoter. The company also stated that it had “promptly facilitated the full and final settlement to his bank account” to provide immediate support to his family. www.ndtv.com+1

Meanwhile, Ola Electric has moved the Karnataka High Court seeking to quash or stay the FIR and related proceedings. The court, noting the petition, has granted interim protection ordering that police must not take coercive action against the company’s officials in the guise of investigation. The Indian Express+1

Key Details of the Case

Victim Profile & Employment:

• K Aravind, 38, was reportedly working at Ola Electric from 2022 as a homologation engineer in Bengaluru. The Tribune+1
• On 28 September, he allegedly ingested poison at his residence in Chikkalasandra and was rushed to hospital, where he died the same day. www.ndtv.com+1

Allegations Raised:

• A lengthy handwritten note (28 pages) recovered by Aravind’s brother accused superiors of “mental torture”, harassment, denial of salary and allowances and creating a hostile workplace environment. It named Subrat Kumar Dash and Bhavish Aggarwal specifically. India Today+1
• The family claims a bank transfer of ₹17.46 lakh was made to Aravind’s account two days after his death. The timing and purpose of this transfer are being questioned. The News Minute
• Based on the complaint, a case of abetment to suicide has been registered. The Tribune+1

Company’s Position:

• Ola Electric has said Aravind never raised any formal complaint or grievance during his tenure. Entrackr+1
• The company stresses that his role did not involve direct interaction with top management. www.ndtv.com
• It says the transfer to his bank account was the “full and final settlement” processed promptly to support the family. The Economic Times
• The FIR is being challenged in Karnataka High Court and protective orders have been granted in favour of company officials. mint

Legal / Regulatory Developments:

• The FIR was registered on 6 October at the Subramanyapura Police Station in Bengaluru. The Tribune+1
• The court order on 17 October directed the police to refrain from harassment of petitioners during investigation. mint

Wider Implications & Workplace Concerns

The case has triggered a broader discussion about corporate culture and mental-health pressures in Indian tech and electric-vehicle firms. With an engineer accusing senior leadership of harassment and denied dues, questions are being raised about how companies handle internal grievances, especially when employees may feel unable to speak up.

This incident follows a previous suicide earlier in 2025 of a young machine-learning engineer at Ola’s AI subsidiary, highlighting concerns about pressure and work culture in start-up and high-growth environments. The Times of India

Advocates warn that alleged practices of heavy workload, denial of dues or allowances, and lack of grievance mechanisms may lead to tragic outcomes if not addressed. The case is likely to focus attention on the obligations of employers under labour and workplace-harassment laws, as well as on the mental-health and welfare of employees in rapid-growth firms.

What Happens Next

The Bengaluru City Police investigation remains underway. Notices have reportedly been issued to the accused officials and the company. Investigators will examine the suicide note, the alleged bank transfer, internal salary and allowance records, and any harassment complaints or lack thereof. The News Minute

The Karnataka High Court will hear Ola Electric’s petition seeking to quash or stay the FIR. Depending on the court’s final decision, the case may proceed to a charge-sheet and possibly trial under provisions for abetment of suicide. The protective order already granted limits coercive action for now. The Indian Express

For Ola Electric, the case brings reputational risk amid other operational and regulatory challenges in the EV sector. For employees, it reinforces the importance of robust internal grievance mechanisms and mental-health support.

Summing Up

In summary, a senior engineer at Ola Electric has died by suicide in Bengaluru, and his brother has filed an FIR against the company’s founder, Bhavish Aggarwal, and other senior managers, accusing them of workplace harassment and financial negligence. The company has denied wrongdoing, says it is cooperating with the investigation, and has appealed to the high court to quash the FIR. The case underscores growing scrutiny of workplace culture and mental-health practices in India’s rapidly evolving tech and EV industries.

As the investigation proceeds and legal battles unfold, the outcome will likely set important precedents for how employers manage employee welfare, grievances and workplace harassment in high-pressure sectors.