BharatPe fraud case: Delhi HC quashes lookout circular against Ashneer Grover, wife

Ashneer Grover and Madhuri Jain Grover. File

The Delhi High Court has ordered withdrawal of a look-out circular (LOC) issued against Ashneer Grover, the former director of payment app BharatPe, and his wife Madhuri Jain Grover, noting that the FIR lodged against them over allegations of fraud and forgery has already been ordered destroyed.

Justice Sanjeev Narula passed the order on Monday (November 11) after the court was informed that another bench of the Supreme Court had quashed the FIR on the same day.

“Though the copy of the order (quashing the FIR) is not available at this time, the aforesaid fact is not disputed by the counsel for the parties.

Also read: A brief history of the events leading to Ashneer Grover’s resignation from BharatPe

“In view of the fact that the underlying FIR has been quashed, the LOC issued by respondent No. 3 (Bureau of Immigration), in the opinion of the court, will not survive,” Justice Narula said.

The LOC was issued by the Bureau of Immigration on the initiative of the Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police in view of the investigation against the Grovers in the FIR on the grounds of cheating and forgery.

The Grovers have sought quashing of the FIR based on the recent settlement of disputes with the fintech company.

The court was hearing a plea filed by Grover and his wife Madhuri Jain Grover seeking quashing of the LOC issued against them in connection with the investigation into the cheating and forgery case.

“Accordingly, the present petitions are disposed of with a direction to the respondents to cancel the LOC against the petitioners in their records,” the court observed.

Grovers had earlier claimed that they were first informed of the LOC issued against them when they were detained at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here on November 16, 2023, while they were supposed to travel to the US.

After their arrest, they were told that the LOC would be operational from November 6, 2023.

In May last year, the Delhi Police filed an FIR against Mr Grover, his wife Madhuri and others under eight sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonesty) . , 467 and 468 (forgery) and 471 (using forged documents as genuine) for alleged fraud of ₹81 crore after a complaint was filed by BhartPe, the fintech unicorn.

In its complaint, BharatPe alleged that Mr. Grover and his family had caused damages to the tune of ₹81.3 crore through illegal payments to fake staff consultants, inflated and unlawful payments through pass-through vendors linked to the accused, and bogus input tax transactions. credit and payment of fine to GST authorities, illegal payment to travel agents, forged invoices by Madhuri and destruction of evidence.