New Delhi: Ashneer Grover, the former managing director at BharatPe, and his wife Madhuri Jain faced a surprising halt in their travel plans to New York as they were intercepted at the Indira Gandhi International Airport by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi police. The EOW issued a lookout circular earlier in the week as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged fraud at BharatPe. Although not arrested, the couple was instructed to return to Delhi and participate in the probe next week.
Sindhu Pillai, joint commissioner of police (EOW), clarified that the lookout circular was merely to prevent their international travel. Despite Grover’s claim of not receiving any notices or calls from EOW since the FIR in May, the authorities took action upon their departure. Grover, previously accused of financial irregularities at BharatPe, expressed his willingness to cooperate with the investigation.
Recent findings by the EOW suggest that recruitment firms associated with Grover and his family used backdated invoices to divert funds from BharatPe. The fintech unicorn had previously filed a criminal complaint in December 2022, alleging a ₹81.28 crore fraud against Grover, his wife, and her family members.
BharatPe has been under scrutiny since 2022, with Grover facing accusations of using inappropriate language towards a bank employee. This incident led to his voluntary leave and subsequent resignation from his position.
The unfolding saga continues to draw attention to the controversies surrounding the once-prominent figure in the Indian fintech industry.