Former Ducati Bengaluru Employee Scams 21 Customers, Flees With ₹ 5 Cr

Following his resignation from the Bengaluru Ducati showroom, a 38-year-old man was taken into custody on suspicion of embezzling ₹ 5.2 crore. Customers gave the accused ₹ 5.2 crore, which he kept after they paid for the motorcycles.

The fraud was uncovered when Ducati bike buyers faced registration difficulties with the RTO. Subsequently, the accused, Rakesh from Kukatpally, Ranga Reddy district, Andhra Pradesh, was arrested following a complaint filed by CN Mahesh, the Ducati store's general manager.

Between July and September of this year, the individual involved in the fraud stole a total of ₹ 5.2 crore by selling approximately 21 motorcycles. He had been with the company for five years before leaving on October 20th. Following the discovery of the fraud, an audit revealed that nine Ducati Panigales, three Multistradas, four Diavels, two Monsters, a DesertX, a Scrambler, and a Streetfighter V4 had been sold but not properly recorded. These motorcycles ranged in price from ₹ 10 lakh to ₹ 40 lakh. After collecting ₹ 5.2 crore from these 21 buyers, the funds were distributed into various bank accounts, one of which was registered under the name 'Office Facility Suppliers.'

The police complaint states that the accused accepted payments from customers, partially depositing them into the company's account while redirecting the remainder. The complaint, naming Rakesh as the accused, raises questions about the company's procedures for bike sales, including the need for a paper trail consisting of delivery notes, invoice details sent to the RTO, and financial audits. Notably, the complaint was lodged after customers reported their inability to register their motorbikes, sparking suspicions of potential insider involvement. The authenticity of the invoices is also under scrutiny.

Commenting on the recent Bengaluru incident, Bipul Chandra, Managing Director, Ducati India has released the following statement: “Ducati is aware of the recent incident at our authorised dealership in Bengaluru, involving a former employee of the dealer partner. The matter is subjudice and is being managed exclusively by the organisation which heads the dealership operations.

At Ducati, we remain committed to continuing business as usual and our brand remains dedicated to delivering exceptional service and upholding the highest standards to our loyal customers, unaffected by this isolated incident.”