BharatPe row: Delhi High Court asks Ashneer Grover to ‘maintain decorum’ on social media

BharatPe founder Ashneer Grover

The Delhi High Court has asked ousted BharatPe founder Ashneer Grover to “maintain decorum” on social media. The court was hearing a civil suit filed by BharatPe seeking orders to restrain Grover from making defamatory statements against the company.

BharatPe has accused Grover and his family members, including wife Madhuri Jain, of running a campaign against the company, news agency ANI reported. The fintech unicorn, in its suit filed December 7, sought over Rs 88 crore in damages for alleged misappropriation of funds.

The Delhi High Court took note of tweets and posts made by Grover after his ouster from the fintech company. Senior advocate Rajiv Nayar, appearing on behalf of BharatPe, said that Grover persisted in making statements against BharatPe despite the lawsuit.

The court was told that the language in some of these posts was such that it could not be repeated. Nayar also said that Grover had recently released a book in which he equated the legal profession to prostitution, Bar and Bench reported.

After hearing the parties, the court told the counsel for Ashneer Grover to ask him to maintain decorum on social media.

“This social media has brought us down to this level,” Justice Navin Chawla remarked. “Ask him [Grover] to maintain decorum.”

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