Court asks police not to take coercive action against directors of Ford India

February 25, New Delhi: A court here has directed Delhi Police not to take any coercive action against Managing Director and Director of the Ford India in a case of cheating.

Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Kumar granted the relief to company’s President and Managing Director Anurag Mehrotra and US national and Director David Allan Schock, while hearing their anticipatory bail applications on February 24, news agency PTI reported.

According to the Economic Offences Wing (EoW) of the Delhi police, a complaint was filed by Libra Cars, the Ford dealer for the GT Karnal Road, New Delhi area, alleging cheating and criminal breach of trust on the ground that ‘Ford India’ had violated the terms of the agreement between the parties by appointing another dealer within a radius of 10 km from the complainant’s showroom. 

Advocate Vijay Aggarwal appeared for Mehrotra, while advocate Rohit Kochhar represented Schock.

In his order, the judge said, “I am of the considered view that since both the accused persons are Director and Managing Director of the Ford India and which has large business in India, hence there is no chance of absconding from the investigation or jurisdiction of this Court.”

The court also noted the undertaking given by the accused persons to join the investigation either physically or by VC.

It also observed that the investigation was at an initial stage.

“Investigating officer is also directed to file the fresh progress report of the investigation on the next date of hearing. Be put up for further consideration on March 17,” the judge said.

The counsel had claimed before the court that the FIR was “a litany of lies, fabrication and deceit, and had been orchestrated by the complainant with the mischievous and unlawful objective of evading his own legal financial obligations towards Ford India.”

Advocate Aggarwal told the court that there was a delay of more than 18 months on part of the complainant in the registration of the case.

He said the dispute between the parties was purely civil in nature and the FIR did not disclose any criminality on the part of his client.

According to Aggarwal, Ford Motor Co. is a Fortune Global 500 Corporation, and one of the largest automobile manufacturing companies in the world with annual revenues of approximately Rs. 12 lakh crores, and almost 200,000 employees spread across 200 countries.

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