Rajesh Mishra, who lost his son Dr. Apoorv Mishra in a car accident involving a Mahindra Scorpio, has filed an FIR against the company’s chairman Anand Mahindra and 12 others, accusing them of cheating, negligence, and criminal intimidation. A father’s grief has turned into a legal battle against one of India’s leading car manufacturers.
According to the FIR, Rajesh Mishra had bought a black Mahindra Scorpio worth Rs 17.40 lakh as a gift for his only son, trusting the company’s claims of safety features and airbags in the vehicle. However, on January 14, 2022, when Dr. Apoorv and his friends were returning from Lucknow to Kanpur, the car collided with a divider due to foggy conditions and overturned several times. Despite wearing seat belts, Dr. Apoorv died on the spot, while his friends suffered injuries.
Rajesh Mishra alleges that the car’s airbags failed to deploy during the crash, which could have saved his son’s life. He also claims that he later found out that the car did not have any airbags installed, contrary to what the company had advertised and assured him. He says that he was misled by the company’s false promises and social media promotions by Anand Mahindra himself.
The FIR has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including cheating, negligent conduct with respect to machinery, causing death by negligence, intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace, and criminal intimidation. The authorities will investigate the case to verify the allegations and determine whether there was any breach or discrepancy in the safety claims of the Mahindra Scorpio.
The case has raised serious questions about the accountability and responsibility of car manufacturers in India regarding their vehicles’ safety standards and features. It also highlights the need for consumers to be aware and vigilant about the products they buy and the claims they trust. The outcome of this case could significantly impact the automotive industry and its regulations in India.
Image Credits: RushLane.
