Non-bailable warrant issued against ideaForge executive in drone fraud case

The case stems from an August 2023 FIR alleging ideaForge supplied 15 drones worth ₹2.2 crore, then disabled them remotely, damaging the client's reputation and affecting ₹70 crore government projects

A Chennai court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Vipul Joshi, Chief Financial Officer of ideaForge Technology Limited, for failing to appear before the court and not complying with bail-related directives in a case linked to alleged drone tampering and financial loss.

The case is rooted in an FIR filed by the Chennai Cyber Crime Police on August 31, 2023. The complaint alleges that ideaForge, a leading drone manufacturer, delivered 15 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) worth ₹2.2 crore to a customer and later remotely disabled them. The complainant claims that the action severely disrupted several government-related projects, resulting in estimated losses of up to ₹70 crore and reputational damage.

In an earlier court order, all accused—including ideaForge’s CEO Ankit Mehta, Director Rahul Singh, GM Somil Gautam, and CFO Vipul Joshi—were instructed to appear by April 1, 2025, and submit a bail bond of ₹25,000 along with two legitimate sureties. However, the court noted serious irregularities during the hearing. It found that the sureties presented by the other accused were not affiliated with the company and had no knowledge of the case, indicating potential deliberate misrepresentation.

Joshi’s complete absence from the proceedings prompted the court to issue a non-bailable warrant, underscoring the gravity of non-compliance and attempts to mislead the judiciary. The court emphasized that the misuse of fraudulent sureties is a punishable offence and warned of jail time for any recurrence.

ideaForge refutes allegations

Despite the serious breach, the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Chennai granted a final opportunity, instructing the accused to fulfil the bail conditions by April 4 or face stringent legal action.

ideaForge Technology issued a statement asserting that the dispute originated from a customer allegedly misusing its proprietary technology and resorting to legal harassment when prevented from doing so. The company claimed that the procedural issues had been resolved, the warrant recalled, and all necessary legal steps were being followed under legal counsel.

Efforts by ideaForge to quash the FIR were dismissed by the Madras High Court on January 31, 2025. A subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court seeking to stay trial proceedings also failed.

The case continues to raise questions about corporate accountability, technology rights, and judicial compliance in high-stakes tech disputes.