Delhi HC grants 3 more weeks to Grovers for response to BharatPe petition

The Delhi High Court on Monday granted three weeks more to BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover, and his wife and former head of controls Madhuri Jain Grover, to respond to an interim petition by the company.

BharatPe filed civil and criminal suits against the defendants Grover, Jain and her brother Shwetank Jain, her sister’s husband Deepak Gupta, and her father Suresh Jain, in addition to a complaint filed with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW).

“Three more weeks' time granted to the defendants to file their responses to the interim applicants. Written statements to be filed in response to the main suit as well,” the bench said.

On December 8, the Delhi High Court bench issued summons to the Grovers and granted them two weeks to file a reply to the interim relief application.

The company has also sought up to Rs 88 crore in damages from the Grovers and other family members. BharatPe alleges that the Grover family created fake bills, enlisted fictitious vendors to provide services to the company, and overcharged the company for recruitment.

BharatPe did not share an official comment on the developments.

During the hearing on Monday, the Delhi High Court bench asked Grover’s counsel to advise Grover to stop speaking against the company’s professionals and maintain decorum. Delays in lack of completion of pleadings by Jain and other defendants were also pointed out to the court during the hearing.

“The moment you start saying something against these officers of the company, you are defaming the company,” the bench said.

BharatPe will file another suit to restrain Grover and his family members from making defamatory statements against the fintech company.

Grover, who was engaged in a bitter battle with the BharatPe board, resigned as its managing director in April. Madhuri Jain Grover had also been terminated as the head of controls on allegations of funds misappropriation.

BharatPe's complaint is based on the findings of an Alvarez and Marsal preliminary report from January last year.