Ashneer Grover, the former boss and co-founder of BharatPe, has been fined ₹2 lakh by the Delhi High Court for violating its order by posting defamatory content about the fintech company on social media. The High Court was informed that Grover is a repeat offender, having previously criticized the company and one of its executives in tweets. He also shared confidential statements about the company’s funding. Despite deleting the posts and offering an unconditional apology and a commitment to refrain from future defamatory posts, the court expressed dismay at Grover’s persistent breach. The High Court bench, led by Justice Rekha Palli, acknowledged Grover’s apology and directed him to deposit the fine within a week with the Delhi High Court Clerks Association.
Senior advocate Amit Sibal, representing BharatPe, highlighted that the court had earlier instructed parties to avoid defamatory language, yet Grover continued to publish and later delete defamatory tweets. Despite Grover’s voluntary removal of such posts on May 26 and assurances to comply with the court’s order, Sibal argued that he blatantly violated the directive.
Grover’s counsel, senior advocate Giriraj Subramanium, emphasized his client’s apology and commitment to abide by the court’s orders, pledging not to post defamatory content against BharatPe. The Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing had also questioned Grover’s wife, Madhuri Jain, in connection with an alleged ₹81-crore fraud at the fintech startup.
The news about the fine imposed on Grover by the Delhi High Court has been widely shared on social media, sparking discussions about the legal implications and consequences of defamatory posts. This recent development adds to the controversies surrounding Grover’s involvement with BharatPe and highlights the impact of social media statements on legal proceedings.
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