Why Did The Valet Crash A Rs 1.41 Crore Mercedes Benz In Bengaluru: New Video Reveals!
If you remember back in February of this year, an unfortunate incident from Bangalore, Karnataka, was reported. What happened was a Mercedes-Benz EQE electric SUV worth Rs 1.41 crore was crashed by a valet into an unauthorized wall. At the time, it was reported that the valet had fled the scene and the restaurant tried covering up the incident and offered a Rs 2 lakh cash settlement to the woman owner of this car. However, now, a few months later, it has been reported that the valet actually took this SUV for a joyride and then crashed it in the parking lot.
A video showing the Instagram reel shared by the restaurant valet driver has been shared on X by Karnataka Portfolio on their page. In this short video, we can note the valet was driving the Mercedes-Benz EQE electric SUV, which came to “The Big Barbecue” in Marathahalli, Bangalore. As per the reports, the woman owner handed over the keys to the valet, who, instead of parking, went for a joyride.
Later, he brought the vehicle inside the parking lot and crashed it into an illegal wall. As a result of this crash, the vehicle had a damaged bonnet, and other crucial components of the front end were damaged. In total, the repair estimate for this vehicle came to around Rs 20 lakh. However, when the woman owner asked The Big Barbecue for compensation, instead of taking accountability, the restaurant started providing wrong details.
What lies did the restaurant say?
It was reported that The Big Barbecue provided false details of a man who wasn’t present at the scene. (The person driving the vehicle in the reels ran away after crashing the vehicle.) The restaurant also submitted a forged, backdated contract with a supposed third-party valet service to deflect liability.
Apart from these lies, and even after watching the CCTV footage and the recently discovered Instagram reel confirming the identity of the real driver, the Bangalore restaurant has been continuously denying involvement and has been petitioning the High Court to quash the FIRs against it.
It has also been reported that when the woman owner of this Mercedes-Benz EQE electric SUV approached the Marathahalli Police Station, she was being pressured by the authorities to settle for just Rs 2 lakh, even when the damages total up to Rs 20 lakh. The police authorities, in the last two months since the incident, have not arrested anybody and have made no progress.
Insurance has also been rejected
What’s even worse about this incident is that the insurance company, which had insured the Mercedes-Benz EQE electric SUV of this woman owner, has rejected her claim. As per the report, it was rejected due to the involvement of an unauthorized driver, which is the valet, and forging of the documentation from the restaurant.
What’s the option now for the woman owner?
At this point, it’s clear that The Big Barbecue does not want to take accountability for their carelessness, and they are not willing to pay the total Rs 20 lakh damage cost. Also, the justice system of India, being as slow as it is, will take years before anything gets proven and the woman gets the total bill amount.
As wrong as it is, this is the unfortunate reality of living in India. The best possible way out of such incidents is to avoid getting into a legal battle, claim insurance, and get the vehicle repaired. Apart from this, the only thing you can do is park your expensive vehicle yourself so that you can avoid getting into such situations. When we see cases like these, the one quote from the American automotive enthusiast and talk show host Jay Leno comes to our mind. He said, “If I can’t park, I don’t eat in that restaurant.”