Relief for Ashneer Grover: Delhi High Court Cancels Lookout Circular Against Former BharatPe MD and His Wife

Relief for Ashneer Grover: In a significant relief for BharatPe’s former Managing Director Ashneer Grover and his wife Madhuri Jain Grover, the Delhi High Court has ordered the cancellation of a lookout circular (LOC) that had been issued against them. This decision comes after another bench of the high court quashed the FIR filed against the couple over allegations of cheating and forgery. The court’s decision was reported by PTI on Tuesday, November 12.

Justice Sanjeev Narula, presiding over the case, passed the order on Monday, November 11. The judge’s decision followed the court’s acknowledgment that the FIR lodged by the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) had been quashed the same day. Justice Narula noted that while the official copy of the order regarding the FIR’s quashing was not yet available, both parties’ legal representatives had confirmed this development.

The Bureau of Immigration issued the LOC at the request of the EOW, which had been investigating the Grovers following allegations of cheating and forgery. However, with the FIR no longer in effect, Justice Narula stated that the LOC had no grounds to remain active, and the court directed the Bureau of Immigration to cancel it in their records.

The Grovers pursued the quashing of the FIR and LOC following a recent settlement with BharatPe, where the fintech company and the Grovers resolved their disputes. “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 order stated.

The case garnered media attention last year when the Grovers were first informed of the LOC. The couple was detained on November 16, 2023, at Delhi’s international airport as they prepared to board a flight to the United States. This detention marked the first time the Grovers learned of the LOC, which they were informed had been operational since November 6, 2023.

The Delhi High Court’s decision has brought an end to the legal challenges posed by the LOC, allowing Ashneer Grover and Madhuri Jain Grover the freedom to travel and marking a resolution to this high-profile dispute with BharatPe.