Ashneer Grover, Madhuri Jain move Delhi HC for permission to travel to US

Ashneer Grover gets relief from Delhi HC

BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover, his wife, Madhuri Jain Grover, a former HR director at the payments firm, on May 16 moved an application in the Delhi High Court, seeking permission to travel to the US for their children’s summer school.

The court adjourned the hearing to May 17 after the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) told the court that it had called Jain for questioning later in the day.

As the EOW objected for their travel plan, their lawyer told the court that the husband-wife duo would not travel together but take turns.

The trip would last from May 26 to July 1. While Ashneer would return to India on June 14, Madhuri would leave the next day, their lawyer said.

They cannot leave the country without obtaining a court’s permission as a Look Out Circular (LOC) has been issued against them on the request of the EOW.

The LOC was issued amid allegations that Grover and his family siphoned funds from the fintech unicorn on the pretext of offering recruitment services.

During the hearing, the EOW objected to the plea, saying the couple had properties abroad and were a flight risk. The investigation against them was at an advanced and a crucial stage, it said. The couple, especially Madhuri was not cooperating in the investigation.

The agency claimed it found suspicious transactions worth crores.

Justice Subramonium Prasad expressed his inclination to permit one of them to travel with the children. EOW objected to Madhuri travelling, saying she appeared to be the “kingpin” of the alleged scam.

The judge also questioned the EOW on not arresting the couple despite serious allegations. "It looks like LOCs are opened just to recover amounts," he said.

Giriraj Subramanium, who appeared for the Grovers, denied the allegations and said the couple had no intention to flee the country. Even the golden visa issued to them by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had expired, he said.

Ashneer and Madhuri are accused of committing a Rs 81-crore fraud at the fintech firm.

An LOC is usually issued against persons who have a criminal record or are under investigation to prevent them from leaving the country where the alleged offence has been committed.

The ED, Central Bureau of Investigation, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Customs and Income Tax Department and the EOW are among the agencies which can request an LOC.