“Delhi High Court Penalizes Ashneer Grover, Fined ₹2 Lakh for Defamatory BharatPe Posts”
Ashneer Grover fined ₹2 lakh for defamatory social media posts about BharatPe, following Delhi High Court directives. Recent developments involve allegations of an ₹81-crore fraud, with legal ramifications involving Grover and his family, signaling ongoing legal battles.
In a recent development, BharatPe’s co-founder, Ashneer Grover, has issued an apology and incurred a fine of ₹2 lakh imposed by the Delhi High Court for defamatory social media posts directed at the company. Despite prior assurances of refraining from such behavior, Grover’s actions led to this legal repercussion, as reported by Bar and Bench.
This incident follows a previous directive from the Delhi High Court in January, urging both BharatPe and its estranged co-founder to maintain a courteous stance towards each other, even amid their professional fallout. The court specifically advised Grover against making purportedly defamatory statements and urged legal counsels to guide their respective clients accordingly.
The court lamented the descent of discourse to such levels due to social media. Emphasizing the need for cordiality despite their differences, the court highlighted the importance of resolving disputes through legal channels.
Furthermore, recent developments have involved Grover’s wife, Madhuri Jain, being questioned by the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing concerning an alleged ₹81-crore fraud within the fintech startup. Grover himself was summoned but did not attend the questioning.
The complaint, filed in May 2023, alleges that Grover and his family caused damages worth ₹81.3 crore to BharatPe through purportedly illegal payments. The accusations include fabricated payments to human resource consultants, forged invoices, unauthorized payments for travel, falsified transactions in input tax credit, and the payment of penalties to GST authorities.
At the heart of these allegations is Madhuri Jain, the former Joint Director-HR at BharatPe, who was terminated from her position last year. Grover, known for his appearance on ‘Shark Tank India,’ resigned as CEO shortly after these events unfolded.
The severity of these allegations and the ongoing legal proceedings pose potential repercussions, with potential sentences ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment if convicted.
Sources By Agencies
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