Bengaluru: FIR filed against Envigreen founder under section 420

A case pertaining to fraud has been registered against an entrepreneur operating in the domain of organic products. Founder of Envigreen Biotech India Private Limited, Ashwath Hegde had gained fame by promising to deliver an alternative to plastic bags. His innovation involved biodegradable bags that would decompose naturally in a period of 60 to 180 days or when put inside boiling water. He was included in Forbes ‘30 under 30’ list in the year 2017. He currently finds himself embodied in a legal case under sections 406 and 420 filed by another entrepreneur Neelima over alleged criminal breach of trust in the Ashok Nagar police station. 

Ashwath Hegde had promised to provide Neelima with essential equipment and skilled workers worth Rs 1.26 crore. He had received an advance sum of Rs 74 lakh. The charge filed against him is that the actual worth of the equipment is Rs 5 lakh and that the workers he dispatched did not have knowledge or expertise in the domain they were required to work in. Upon being questioned in this regard, Ashwath allegedly promised to provide her with new equipment and taken back the equipment that was manufactured by another one of his own companies. However he is said to have not kept his word or returned the money. 

Ashwath has refuted the claims, and made a charge of blackmailing for money on Neelima.