File From VW Emission Scandal Investigation Reported Missing

It might have been some time since the Volkswagen emission scandal first broke out, but the controversy surrounding it is yet to wane out. Bild, a German newspaper, claimed that a "secret file" relevant to the case has gone missing. While Bild failed to provide any clarity about the contents of the aforementioned file, a Reuters report states that the loss is not "highly problematic".

Also Read: Volkswagen to Start Recalling Vehicles Affected by Scandal in 2016

Authorities in Lower Saxony, who have been investigating Volkswagen, said the file mainly included "duplicates of documents most of which are available online, as well as in-house notes on legal questions". It was last seen on October 9, before it was reported missing on October 12. A spokesperson for the state further added that they have reported the crime and also quizzed a few employees regarding the incident.

VW's emission scandal has rightly put it under tight scrutiny across the world as authorities endeavour to collect evidence and build a case against the carmaker. As different reports speculate a varying number of people involved in the scandal, Volkswagen US' CEO, Michael Horn, had said during a Congressional hearing the decision to install the cheating software was not a corporate decision.

Also Read: ARAI Starts Investigation into VW in India

Earlier this month, VW had been instructed by Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority KBA to recall 2.4 million cars. And as far as corrective measures are concerned, VW announced that it will start a recall of the affected vehicles in 2016. Matthias Mueller, CEO, Volkswagen, revealed a tentative time-frame for the repairs and said, "If all goes according to plan, we can start the recall in January. All the cars should be fixed by the end of 2016." However, this recall plan is for Europe and that for the US may be different.

(With inputs from Reuters)