Pollution cheat device: Noida police books Volkswagen group firms, officials

New Delhi Two Indian subsidiaries of German carmaker Volkswagen group have been booked for allegedly selling seven Audi cars fitted with "cheat devices able to deceive excessive pollution emission tests" to a Noida businessman, police said on Friday.

The FIR lodged at Sector 20 police station against Noida-based carmakers Audi India and Skoda Auto-Volkswagen India on charges of forgery and cheating also names their top officials and parent company in Germany, said police. Businessman Aniljit Singh said in his complaint that he was sold substandard vehicles after misrepresentation of facts on emission. He said he bought the cars in 2016, which cost him crores.

He alleged the carmakers induced him into buying their vehicles and he bought them with the impression that they were compliant with the latest emission norms of the country. However, these were substandard vehicles fitted with cheat devices, Singh said in his complaint, adding he was duped by the company on disclosure of pollution emission by its vehicles at the time of sale. When contacted, a spokesperson for SAVW Group, however, denied the allegations.

The top officials of the multinational firm, who have been named in the FIR, are Audi India's country head Balbir Singh Dhillon, its brand director Rahil Ansari, its sales chief Nitin Kohli and Volkswagen India's managing director Gurpratap Boparai, a copy of the FIR revealed. The other officials are Audi AG chairman Bram Schot, its overseas distribution head Michael Friscii and Volkswagen AG CEO Herbert Diess.