Ola Electric CEO Bhavish Aggarwal booked in employee suicide case

Ola Electric founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal, along with senior official Subrata Kumar Das and others, have been named in an FIR by Bengaluru Police following the suicide of an employee who alleged workplace harassment.

The deceased, 38-year-old K Aravind, was employed as a Homologation Engineer at Ola Electric’s Koramangala office since 2022. On September 28, Aravind allegedly consumed poison at his apartment in Chikkalasandra and was rushed to Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Aravind’s family found a detailed 28-page handwritten suicide note in his room, accusing senior executives including Aggarwal and Das of mental harassment, excessive work pressure, and withholding salary and allowances. According to the note, these factors contributed to his decision to end his life.

Aravind’s brother, Ashwin Kannan, filed a police complaint citing the suicide note and raised suspicions over a ₹17.46 lakh NEFT transfer to Aravind’s bank account two days after his death. The family claimed company representatives



provided vague explanations and appeared to be covering up internal lapses.

Following the complaint, the police registered an FIR on October 6 at the Subramanyapura police station under Sections 108 (abetment of suicide) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The FIR names Subrata Kumar Das, Bhavish Aggarwal, and Ola Electric as accused.

Ola Electric issued a statement expressing sadness over Aravind’s death and said he never raised any harassment complaints during his three-and-a-half-year tenure. The company added that Aravind had no direct interaction with top management, including the CEO, and that it facilitated a full and final settlement to support the family immediately.

The company also confirmed it has challenged the FIR’s registration in the Karnataka High Court, where protective orders have been granted in its favour. Ola Electric said it is cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation and remains committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace.

The investigation is still ongoing.