Tesla slams critic with restraining order

Electric vehicle (EV)-maker Tesla has slammed Randeep Hothi -- one of the short-sellers of the company and also its prominent Twitter critic -- with a restraining order on charges of stalking, harassing and endangering company employees.

In its complaint, Tesla claimed that three of its employees who were driving a 'Model 3' car on a Bay Area highway last week were pursued by the California resident for about 35 minutes where he drove ahead of, beside and behind the car, swerving dangerously close to the vehicle, The Verge reported on Saturday.

The company also claimed that Hothi even swerved so close to the car that its crash avoidance safety feature was triggered.

While Hothi, under the username @skabooshka, published images of the 'Model 3' car on Twitter earlier on April 18, confirming his presence at the scene.

He claimed he saw the car violate speed limits, and noted it performed simple tasks like lane changes, implying Tesla might misrepresent the footage later.

Now in compliance with the restraining order, Hothi is required to stay at least 100 yards away from Tesla's Fremont factory in California as well as its employees.

In addition, he also has to stay 10 yards away from any Tesla vehicle with manufacturer plates within five miles of the factory.

The restraining order is effective until May 7, when a hearing is scheduled.

Tesla also took the opportunity to note that Hothi "has a history of trespassing at Tesla's facilities". The company said one time Hothi "unlawfully" took photos and videos of Tesla facilities and uploaded them on Twitter.

The car-maker also claimed that, in February, Hothi struck one of its employees while trespassing and surveilling the company's Fremont factory and "fled the scene", the report added.

Later on Saturday, Hothi took to Twitter and wrote to his 6,800 followers - "I will not rest. This is my promise. Tesla is a zero. @elonmusk will go to prison."

--IANS

rp/mag/ksk