Suhail Sameer continues to be CEO, board member of BharatPe: co-founder Shashvat Nakrani

BharatPe's co-founder Shashvat Nakrani expressed his support for Suhail Sameer even as the other co-founder and former CEO Ashneer Grover has withdrawn his nomination, the company said on February 5.

"I have neither given my consent nor sought the removal of Suhail Sameer from the board of BharatPe and fully support his continuance on the board," Nakrani said in a statement.

He was one of the two joint nominees along with Grover who had nominated Sameer to the board of directors. As per the article of association of BharatPe, the founders have the right to jointly nominate and maintain two directors on the board.

In an interaction with Moneycontrol, Grover said he had written to the board withdrawing his nomination as he had lost confidence in Sameer.

"If they (board) want to use him as the executive till the time I'm on leave, it's their prerogative. He doesn't enjoy my confidence to be the director. I have already written to the board that he should be removed as a director," he told Moneycontrol.

Also read: Exclusive: Suhail Sameer manipulated me into going on leave, says BharatPe founder Ashneer Grover

BharatPe has three co-founders -- Bhavik Koladiya besides Nakrani and Grover. While the company was started by Nakrani and Koladiya, Grover came into the picture a little later when the duo had reached out to him for funding.

Last month when BharatPe sent Grover on leave of absence till March end and said Sameer and Koladiya would continue to manage day-to-day operations.

On the same day, in an interaction with Moneycontrol, Suhail had also said that the idea to go on a leave had come from Grover adding that there was "zero chance" that he would exit the company as he was integral to BharatPe.

However within just a few weeks, Grover made a scathing remark on Sameer stating that he was manipulated by Sameer as well as the company's general counsel Sumeet Singh to take a leave of absence.

"That idea was forced into my head basis misrepresentations from Suhail and Sumeet Singh, in connivance with investors so that they can otherwise achieve what they wouldn’t have been able to. All of them sided with investors and said you should go," he told Moneycontrol.

Grover had alleged that Sameer had sided with the board at a time when he needed him the most as a result of which he had lost confidence in him.

The belguared founder also said that the board was arm twisting him into exiting the company.