File photo of Avantha Group founder Gautam Thapar
A criminal damage case against the wife of India-born billionaire entrepreneur Mr Gautam Thapar, accused of "keying" a neighbour's car over an alleged parking rage incident in the UK has been dropped due to lack of evidence.
German-born Ms Stephanie Thapar, the second wife of the 54-year-old engineering entrepreneur?and founder of the Avantha Group, was alleged to have keyed her neighbour's 120,000 pounds Bentley near her Knightsbridge home in central London causing over 4,000 pounds of criminal damage.
She had denied the allegation and was due to go on trial at the?City of London's Magistrates' court last week, but instead the case has been discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
The CPS stated: "The reason for the decision is that there is not enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction and the prosecution is not needed in the public interest."
Ms Thapar, a mother of four, was arrested on January 22 this year and taken into police custody for questioning where she denied the allegations.
"I am tremendously relieved that a cloud which has darkened my own and my family's professional and personal life has now begun to lift. I am very grateful for the support I have received and to have had such a great legal team surrounding and defending me all the way along," she said in a statement.
When the prosecution proceeded with the allegation, she had hired leading law firm Blackfords LLP to defend her.
"My client was totally innocent of this allegation. She had the total support of her husband, family and many prominent character witnesses," said Blackfords' partner Gary Bloxsome, who led her defence team.
"This case should never have proceeded. My client suffered false allegations and it has been a very distressing seven months for the Thapar family, who are now very relieved this nightmare has come to an end." Mr Bloxsome added.