Amidst the controversy surrounding allegations of unexplained payments and fake invoices, former CEO and co-founder of BharatPe, Ashneer Grover, has responded with defiance, asserting that he will be the “last man standing.”
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The Economic Offences Wing’s investigation revealed a series of questionable payments made to purportedly fake human resource consultancies by Grover, his wife, and her family members.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Grover lashed out at BharatPe, investors Sequoia Capital, and individuals on social media criticizing him. He stated, “I’ll be the last man standing long after ‘BharatPe’, Sequoia (oh sorry they already wrapped up in India), 2 takke ke anpadh press vaale and ‘Twitter’ judges are gone! Mark my words!”
I’ll be last man standing long after ‘BharatPe’ , Sequoia (oh sorry they already wrapped up in India), 2 takke ke anpadh press vaale and ‘Twitter’ judges are gone ! Mark my words !!
Le Honourable HC : FIR quashing admitted and being heard. Not a single relief to BharatPe in… pic.twitter.com/WV0Hf3JurE
— Ashneer Grover (@Ashneer_Grover) November 15, 2023
The allegations, outlined in a status report filed by the agency in the Delhi High Court, suggest that backdated invoices were used to transfer funds from BharatPe’s accounts for commission payments related to recruitment work. The total amount involved in these transactions is reportedly over ₹81 crore, with the investigation still ongoing.
Responding to the reports, Grover made several claims in a detailed post, asserting that BharatPe had not received any relief in the cases against him, the auditors found no fraud, and the Income Tax department confirmed the payment of all due taxes.
The entrepreneur, now associated with the fantasy sports app CrickPe, also clarified the BharatPe board’s stance on related parties, stating that Madhuri Jain was the sole “related party,” and all transactions were ratified by the board. Grover mentioned that the sign-off was done by board chairman Rajnish Kumar, and he had “abstained from” that specific board meeting.
The developments have unfolded since Madhuri Jain, the former head of controls at BharatPe, was terminated in 2022 after a forensic audit revealed irregularities.
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Ashneer Grover, known for his role on Shark Tank India, later resigned as CEO in March 2022. The situation continues to evolve, emphasizing the resilience and defiance displayed by Grover in the face of mounting challenges.