BharatPe row: ‘Ask him to maintain decorum’, Delhi HC directs Ashneer Grover’s counsel

The Delhi High Court has directed the lawyer for former BharatPe managing director Ashneer Grover to ask his client to maintain decorum. While hearing a suit filed by BharatPe, Delhi High Court’s Justice Navin Chawla also commented on the role of social media, and said, “This social media has brought us down to this level. Ask him to maintain decorum."

As reported by Bar & Bench, BharatPe’s counsel Rajeev Nayar told the court that Grover is saying things that cannot be repeated in a courtroom despite filing of the suit.  

Advocate Giriraj S, who is representing Grover, stated that despite being the largest shareholder in BharatPe, Ashneer Grover was stopped from attending the Annual General Meeting (AGM). After this, Nayar said that Grover had equated the legal profession to 'prostitution' in his recently released book Doglapan, which is also a bestseller on Amazon. 

The court then stated, “Why are you saying all these things about these professions? Do these have any relevance? The moment you start saying something against these officers of the company, you are defaming the company.”

After hearing both sides, the Delhi High Court granted additional time to Ashneer Grover and his wife Madhuri Jain Grover to file a response in the BharatPe case. 

BharatPe has taken three legal actions against Ashneer Grover, his wife Madhuri Jain Grover, and other family members. These include a civil suit in the Delhi High Court, a criminal complaint with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), and an arbitration to take away Ashneer Grover’s restricted shareholding and his co-founder title. 

BharatPe has accused Grovers of creating false bills, enlisting fictitious vendors, and overcharging the company for recruitment. The fintech unicorn has sought over Rs 88 crore in damages from Grover, his wife, and his brother. 

The company had sought disclosure of assets owned by Grover and his family members, an interim injunction against defendants restraining them from making defamatory/derogatory statements concerning BharatPe, its directors, employees, and/or publicising the same, direction to Grovers for deleting/removing statements, social media posts, tweets, books, hashtags, videos and other media against the company and orders granting liberty to BharatPe to approach social media platforms, media organisations, publications, websites, blogs, etc. to seek deletion/removal of such material. 

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