FIR Filed in Rajasthan Over Faulty Hyundai

FIR Filed in Rajasthan Over Faulty Hyundai

Why in News? 

Recently in Rajasthan, a customer filed an FIR against Hyundai over a faulty car. The case also names its dealer, senior company officials and brand ambassadors Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. The complaint highlights that the buyer was handed a technically defective vehicle.

FIR Filed in Rajasthan Against Hyundai and Brand Ambassadors

• • Background: Recently in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, a lawyer filed a formal complaint against Hyundai Motors India, its senior executives, a local dealership, and Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. The case claims that the buyer was handed a defective Hyundai Alcazar SUV and that the brand ambassadors promoted the car in a misleading manner. 

• Complaint: The complaint was submitted by Kirti Singh, a 50-year-old resident of Aniruddh Nagar, Bharatpur. According to Singh, he purchased a Hyundai Alcazar 1.5 AT Signature (Black) in June 2022. The total cost of the vehicle was ₹23,97,353. Out of this, ₹10,03,699 was financed through a loan from HDB Financial Services, while the rest was paid in cash.

• Singh alleges that the dealership, Malwa Auto Sales Pvt. Ltd. in Sonipat, Haryana, assured him that the car was trouble-free and that any defect would be resolved.

• • • Singh claims that problems began to appear within six to seven months of purchase.
    • The vehicle reportedly showed engine malfunction warnings on the display screen.

    • While accelerating or overtaking, the RPM increased, but the speed of the car did not rise proportionately.
    • He also complained of vibrations and unusual noise when the car was driven at higher speeds.
    • Singh stated that these defects repeatedly put him and his family at risk of accidents on highways.

• FIR Registration: Singh first approached the local police station, but his grievance was not registered. He then moved the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Bharatpur. On court directions, the Mathura Gate Police Station registered an FIR on August 25, 2025.

• The case has been filed under sections 420, 406, and 120B of the Indian Penal Code along with provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

• • The FIR names include:

• Unsoo Kim, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor India (Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu).
• Tarun Garg, Chief Operating Officer (Gurugram, Haryana).
• Nitin Sharma and Priyanka Sharma, Directors of Malwa Auto Sales Pvt. Ltd. (Sonipat, Haryana).
• Shah Rukh Khan, Bollywood actor and Hyundai’s long-time brand ambassador.
• Deepika Padukone, actress and co-ambassador of Hyundai in recent campaigns.

Consumer Rights in India

• Background: After independence, the need for a legal framework became stronger. The first major step came in 1986 when the government introduced the Consumer Protection Act. This law created forums and commissions where ordinary people could file complaints at low cost. In 2019, a new version of this law came into force. The Consumer Protection Act 2019 replaced the earlier system and introduced modern measures such as e-filing of complaints and strict rules for advertisements.

• Consumer Rights: The 2019 Act modernised the old law. It created the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to regulate trade practices. The CCPA can investigate complaints, order recall of unsafe goods, and impose fines. The Act also brought e-commerce companies like Amazon and Flipkart under its rules. Endorsers of products, including celebrities, can be held responsible for misleading advertisements. 

• There are three levels of consumer courts in India.
• District Commissions handle cases up to ₹1 crore.
• State Commissions handle cases between ₹1 crore and ₹10 crore.
• The National Commission in New Delhi handles cases above ₹10 crore.