Karnataka HC asks Ola’s Bhavish Aggarwal, others to cooperate in engineer’s suicide probe
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka High Court has directed Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO & MD of Ola Electric Technologies Private Limited, and Subrat Kumar Das—Head of Homologation Engineering —to actively cooperate in an ongoing criminal investigation into the suicide of engineer K Aravind, an employee of the company.
Justice Mohammad Nawaz on Wednesday also extended the interim protection granted to them, directing police not to harass the petitioners in the guise of investigation, till November 17. The court was hearing the petition filed by the petitioners challenging the FIR registered against them.
The case stems from an FIR filed by Aravind’s brother Ashwin Kannan with the Subramanyapura police, alleging abetment to suicide under Section 108 of the BNS Act.
The deceased had allegedly left behind a death note alleging workplace harassment and denial of his salary dues and other perks by the petitioners.
During the hearing, the petitioners contested the authenticity of the note, arguing it might have been drafted by the complainant rather than the deceased. They also claimed the circulation of images and interviews relating to Aravind’s death had damaged the firm’s reputation, impacted its share price and triggered employee departures.
In contrast, counsel for the complainant characterized Ola Electric as being akin to the “East India Company”, accusing the firm’s officials of attempting to shift blame.
The court was told that while the police have issued notices for investigation, the petitioners have replied only with letters rather than appearing for interrogation. The court asked the petitioners to cooperate with the investigation.
The court further stated any final report filed against the petitioners can be challenged in due course.
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Two girls injured in separate wolf attacks in UP's Bahraich
Bahraich (UP) (PTI): Two minor girls were injured in separate incidents of wolf attacks in the Bahraich district, forest department officials said on Saturday.
In the first incident on Friday, Anushka Nishad (5), daughter of Baliram from Mallahanpurwa village, was sleeping alone inside her house when a wolf entered and tried to carry her away, they said.
Hearing her screams, family members and villagers rushed to the spot. The wolf left the child, hearing the commotion, and ran towards the fields. The girl sustained minor injuries from the animal's teeth, the officials said.
Divisional Forest Officer Ram Singh Yadav described the attack as deliberate and cleverly planned, as it occurred precisely when Anushka's mother went out for a few moments.
On the same day, Nancy (4), daughter of Kamlesh Yadav, was playing outside her house in Baburi Tola village when a wolf suddenly attacked and dragged her away.
Villagers raised an alarm, and the wolf released the child and ran towards the sugarcane fields. The injured child was sent to the Kaiserganj Community Health Centre for treatment.
Divisional Forest Officer Ram Singh Yadav told reporters that both attacks involved wolves, adding that the entire area is plagued by the animal's activity.
Since September 9, such attacks in the Bahraich district have claimed 10 lives, including eight children and an elderly couple, and injured dozens of people, the officials said.
District Magistrate Akshay Tripathi met the families of the victims on Friday and consoled them.
