Supreme Court Dismisses Skoda-Volkswagen's Plea To Quash FIR Over Alleged Cheat Emission Devices

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the special leave petition filed by international car manufacturer Skoda-Volkswagen seeking to quash an FIR registered over alleged cheat emissions devices installed in vehicles.

It was on November 4 that a bench headed by the Chief Justice of India reserved orders on the petition filed by Skoda Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd challenging an FIR registered by the UP Police.

The Allahabad High Court had in October dismissed the Volkswagen India's plea for quashing of an FIR dated July 10 registered against it in Noida for installing "cheat devices" in its vehicles.

In the petition filed in the apex court against the High Court order, the lawyer of automobile manufacturer, Senior Advocate Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, had submitted that the FIR was with respect to the same allegations of cheat emission devices over which the National Green Tribunal had imposed fine in 2019. Dr. Singhvi submitted that the Supreme Court has stayed the NGT's fine order and while the matter is sub-judice, the FIR has been filed as a tool for harassment.

The complainant's lawyer Senior Advocate Maninder Singh had submitted that the FIR was with respect to the personal allegations of his client with respect to cheating by the car manufacturer.