Special Correspondent , DHAKA, Dec 23, 2025 — The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has established prima facie evidence of criminal breach of trust and cheating against three individuals, including an Indian-origin and a Japanese national, for allegedly conspiring to undermine Navana’s Toyota distributorship through fraud and deception.
According to the investigation report submitted to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Dhaka, the PBI concluded that the accused acted with common intention to damage Navana Limited by manipulating business processes linked to its long-standing exclusive distributor agreement with Toyota Tsusho Corporation.
The PBI report said a prima facie case has been established under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 417 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) of the Penal Code, 1860, against Asif Rahman, Japanese national Akio Ogawa and Indian-origin Malaysian citizen Premmit Singh, managing director of the newly formed company named Toyota Bangladesh Ltd.
Investigators found that the accused allegedly engaged in a series of fraudulent acts and misrepresentations aimed at weakening Navana’s position as the exclusive Toyota distributor in Bangladesh, with the apparent objective of diverting the business to the newly registered local entity.
The alleged offences include supplying false and biased market and performance reports about Navana to Toyota Tsusho, deliberately delaying production of vehicles already ordered by customers, and withholding mandatory “manufacturer invoices,” which are essential for customs clearance—actions that reportedly caused financial losses and reputational damage to Navana.
The PBI inquiry, conducted under court orders, said the conduct of the accused disrupted legitimate commercial operations and exposed the complainant to customs complications and penalties.
Following submission of the investigation report, the court fixed December 30, 2025, for the next hearing, when it is expected to decide whether to formally take cognizance of the offences and initiate criminal proceedings against the accused.
The case has drawn attention due to its cross-border dimension, involving senior executives linked to an international trading group and raising concerns over alleged corporate fraud, abuse of trust and criminal manipulation within high-value distributorship arrangements in Bangladesh.