In a recent development, Ashneer Grover, the former managing director at BharatPe, and his wife Madhuri Jain were stopped at the Indira Gandhi International Airport while en route to New York. This move comes in light of an ongoing investigation into alleged fraud at BharatPe, prompting the issuance of a lookout circular (LoC) earlier in the week by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW).
Sindhu Pillai, Joint Commissioner of Police (EOW), confirmed that the couple was detained before security checks and directed to return to their Delhi residence. They have been requested to join the probe at the EOW office at Mandir Marg next week. Pillai clarified that the LoC was issued to prevent the couple from traveling abroad, emphasizing that they have not been formally arrested as of now.
In December 2022, BharatPe filed a criminal complaint against Grover, his wife, and her family members, accusing them of orchestrating a ₹81.28 crore fraud. One of the allegations involves ₹7.6 crore purportedly paid by BharatPe to eight HR consultants associated with the accused individuals between 2018 and 2021.
The detention of Ashneer Grover and his wife adds another layer of complexity to the situation, underscoring the need for a thorough and impartial investigation to uncover the truth behind the accusations leveled against the former managing director and his associates.
In a statement addressing the recent events at the airport through a tweet, Ashneer Grover shared his surprise at being stopped, stating that he hadn’t received any communication or summons from the EOW since the FIR in May until 8 AM on the morning of the 17th. He clarified his intent to travel to the US from November 16 to 23 and expressed confusion over the sudden LoC hindering his departure, highlighting his past international travels post the FIR without issue. Despite the flight’s departure, EOW directed immigration to allow their exit, and Grover noted the morning summons received at home, assuring cooperation. He dismissed any dramatics, mentioning the process to remove the LoC, emphasizing he’s not a flight risk and expressing readiness to prove it. Grover concluded with a resilient tone, acknowledging ongoing rumors and suggesting not to declare him ‘gone’ until the matter unfolds properly.