BackBharatPe vs Ashneer Grover case: Delhi HC asks Grover to maintain decorum
The court was hearing a civil suit filed by BharatPe seeking ₹88 crore in damages and orders to restrain Grover and others from making defamatory statements against the fintech company
PremiumThe Delhi High Court on Monday told the counsel for former BharatPe managing director Ashneer Grover to ask him to maintain decorum and not to speak against the company’s chief officers.
The court was hearing a civil suit filed by BharatPe on 8 December seeking ₹88 crore in damages and orders to restrain Grover and others from making defamatory statements against the fintech company. At the last hearing on 8 December, the Delhi HC issued summons to Grover and his family and asked them to file a reply in two weeks.
During the hearing, BharatPe’s counsel presented a video clip of a recent altercation between the Grover couple and BharatPe during the company’s AGM on 31 December.
With regard to the altercation at the BharatPe AGM, Grover’s counsel said, "I am the largest individual shareholder in the company. The AGM was being held and I was stopped. I am saying I will call the police and authorities. Don't know what is wrong in that."
BharatPe’s counsel also argued against the comments made by Ashneer Grover with regard to the board chairman Rajnish Kumar, as well as against other officials. He presented a series of tweets posted by Grover that claimed hiring Kumar was his biggest mistake and that the shares of State Bank of India had tanked under his chairmanship.
Additionally, the counsel also submitted a book written by Grover. The book came after the last order of the court. BharatPe counsel reads out a para from the epilogue and pointed out, “He (Grover) is equating our profession (law) with prostitution."
Responding to this, Grover’s counsel claimed that as far as aspects of defamation itself are concerned, the allegations are not in relation to the company, but they are in relation to the officers of the company.
On this, Justice Navin Chawla remarked, “The moment you start saying things about chief officers, you are ultimately defaming the company only." He asked Grover’s counsel, “Before hearing and before passing an order, if you [Grover] can also maintain some of kind of decorum."
Grover’s counsel said he will speak to his client and advise him.
Lawyers of both BharatPe and Grover started complaining about leaking stories to press. On which, the Judge said, “I really don’t understand what is happening. What are you people doing. This social media has actually brought us down to this level. What are we doing here."
After hearing both parties, the Court granted Grover, his wife and former head of controls Madhuri Jain Grover, and their family members, more time to file responses to the suit.
The bench ordered, "Issue notice on defendants' application to the plaintiff. Notice accepted. 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."
Advocate Rajiv Nayar was BharatPe’s counsel and Advocate Giriraj S represented Grover.
Law firm Trilegal is representing BharatPe in the civil suit filed in the high court.
In this suit, BharatPe is seeking damages from Grover and family, including a claim for payment made against the invoices of non-existent vendors, amounting to ₹71.7 crore; payments made to vendors purportedly providing recruitment services totalling ₹7.6 crore; ₹5 crore in damages for loss of reputation to the company caused by tweets and other statements made by Grover and his family members.
Additionally, BharatPe claimed Grover has been running a “vicious campaign" against the company on social media.
BharatPe also filed a criminal complaint against Grover and his family with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police, alleging criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, cheating, forgery and destruction of evidence. MZM Legal is working with BharatPe on the criminal complaint.
The fintech unicorn also filed an arbitration claim in Singapore to claw back the restricted shares allotted to Ashneer Grover and prevent him from using the title of founder.
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