Bengaluru Restaurant Valet Drivers Crash Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV While Shooting Reels

A family's lunch outing in Bengaluru turned disastrous when a restaurant valet driver crashed their new ₹1.41 crore Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV whilst creating social media content. The incident, which occurred on February 26, 2025 at The Big Barbeque restaurant in Marathahalli. But after investigation, the situation has developed into allegations of fraud, negligence and an attempted cover-up.

The owner of the car, Divya Chhabra reported that she handed over the car keys to a valet attendant at the restaurant. Later, she discovered  that the vehicle had been smashed into a basement wall. She claims that the restaurant staff had already cleared debris from the scene before family members could inspect it. What was initially dismissed as a routine parking accident by the establishment, CCTV footage later revealed three different valets had taken turns driving the luxury vehicle recklessly in the basement whilst filming videos.

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Chhabra disclosed that the driver who crashed the car was operating with a false driving licence. Reports claim that the culprit was from Assam and when verified with the Assam's Regional Transport Office confirmed irregularities with his licence. The document showed an issue date of 2010, despite Laskar being born in 1999. Another valet involved lacked any driving licence whatsoever.

Insurance investigators have corroborated these findings and reportedly recovered the video footage the men had recorded. One valet allegedly admitted this was common practice—taking expensive cars on joyrides to create social media content.

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Chhabra alleges that the restaurant also attempted to obstruct the investigation by presenting an uninvolved person as the driver with a backdated contract with a third-party valet agency. The restaurant owner has also filed a petition in the High Court seeking to dismiss the case. Repair costs for the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has come to around ₹20 lakh, with the insurance claim still pending. The three valets are reportedly hiding in Assam.