Non-Bailable Warrant Issued Against ideaForge CFO in Chennai Drone Fraud Case

The Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Chennai has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Vipul Joshi, Chief Financial Officer of ideaForge Technology Limited, in connection with a drone fraud case that has taken a dramatic legal turn. The warrant follows Joshi’s failure to appear in court and submit the required bail amount despite explicit court instructions.

Case Background

The case originates from an FIR lodged on August 31, 2023, by the Chennai Cyber Crime Police. The complaint alleged that ideaForge, a leading drone manufacturing company, delivered 15 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) valued at ₹2.2 crore to a customer. However, it is claimed that the company hacked and disabled the drones, damaging the customer’s reputation and derailing government projects worth ₹70 crore.

According to the court, all accused in the case — including CEO Ankit Mehta, Director Rahul Singh, General Manager Somil Gautam, and CFO Vipul Joshi — were directed on March 4, 2025, to appear before the court by April 1 and furnish a bail amount of ₹25,000 with two valid sureties each.

When the matter came up for hearing, Vipul Joshi failed to appear entirely, and the other accused presented fraudulent sureties — individuals who were unaware of the case and had no connection with the company. The court took serious note of this, deeming it a deliberate attempt to mislead the judiciary and warned of legal action against the sureties themselves if such tactics were repeated.

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Company’s Response

ideaForge has pushed back against the accusations, stating that the issue originated when a customer allegedly attempted to steal proprietary technology by tampering with the equipment. The company claims that the ongoing legal action is a retaliatory measure by the customer and insists that the matter is being pursued legally under expert counsel. “The interim procedural issues emanating from personal exigencies have been resolved. The warrant has been recalled and cancelled, and all due legal procedures are being followed,” said a spokesperson from ideaForge.

Despite this defence, the Madras High Court had earlier rejected ideaForge’s plea to quash the charges on January 31, 2025. Furthermore, a subsequent petition to halt proceedings in the Supreme Court was also denied.

Court’s Stand

While the court expressed dissatisfaction with the actions of the accused, it has granted a final opportunity for compliance. All accused have been given a last chance to deposit the bail bond by April 4. The court’s warning is clear — any further misuse of the legal process, particularly through fraudulent sureties, will lead to immediate incarceration.

This case places one of India’s most high-profile drone tech firms under intense scrutiny, with potential legal implications for both the company’s operations and the broader UAV industry. The next steps from both the judiciary and ideaForge will be closely watched in the coming weeks.