BharatPe, Ashneer Grover told by Delhi High Court to ‘remain courteous’

“Please advise him (Grover). If there is anything, you also tell Mr (Rajiv) Nayar (appearing for BharatPe) that his client has done this. He will also advise him,” the court told Grover’s lawyer.

Appearing for BharatPe, senior advocate Rajiv Nayar drew the court’s attention to several tweets made by Grover against the company and the officers. Nayar said pointing to certain tweets made by Grover after the last hearing on December 8, “Even after filing of the suit, he (Grover) is saying things which I can’t even repeat in court.”

Grover’s counsel submitted that his statements had been picked out in isolation. “They have called me a thief. They have posted on my sister’s LinkedIn page saying that your brother is a thief. I have never said anything against the company,” he said, adding that he was not saying anything against the company.

At this point the HC remarked, “The moment you say something about the chief officer of the company, then what else are you doing”, to which Grover’s counsel said that he will speak to his client and advise further, urging Nayar to advise his client as well.

Grover’s counsel further submitted that Bharatpe had not disclosed before the HC that it had initiated other legal proceedings against Grover, including a complaint with the Economic offences wing of the Delhi police and an arbitration before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. “They leaked information regarding I have stolen Rs. 80 crore,” he said.

Nayar said that his client cant be intimidated just because the company had initiated legal proceedings against Grover. Justice Chawla thereafter issued notice on an application filed by Grover and his wife Madhuri seeking access to their official email IDs and further granted time to the other defendants to file their response to Bharatpe’s lawsuit. The court asked the company to consider creating a “confidentiality club” to allow Grover and his wife access to certain material.

“Have a confidentiality club and show it to him. He will have a look,” the court said. The company has filed a lawsuit seeking “permanent injunction” restraining Grover and his family from making defamatory statements against the company, its directors, employees or publicising the same seeking 88 crore from Grover and others for “ their illegal acts and misconduct”.