BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover has written a letter to the fintech startup's board asking for CEO Suhail Sameer to be immediately sent a show cause notice and put him on leave of absence for a 'blatantly defamatory' comment against Grover's sister on social media.
The letter, seen by VCCircle, also called for the resignation of BharatPe Chairman Rajnish Kumar.
The development comes after a BharatPe employee earlier this week posted on Linkedin about non-payment of salaries for month of March to him and some employees. Grover's sister Ashima Grover commented on this post to which Sameer responded: “Aashima Behen - tere bhai ne saara Paisa Chura liya (your brother stole all the money). Very little left to pay salaries.”
The comment drew a lot of criticism against Sameer and he apologised.
Grover, in the letter, said that going by precedents and self proclaimed high standards of the BharatPe board, the CEO should be immediately served a show cause notice and put on leave of absence to manage the damage on the brand of the company.
He also said that Sameer's reply "is not only blatantly defamatory, it is inappropriate language towards any female on social media and tone deaf to the trials of a poor admin level employee seeking his dues."
He has sought a written apology from Sameer to him, his sister and the Board.
"In absence of a written apology I and my sister reserve our rights to seek damages and pursuing criminal defamation against Suhail Sameer and the BharatPe Board," he noted.
His sister will also be in her right to take up this with the women’s commission and appropriate authorities, he added.
The feud between Grover and the company's board has its origins in January when he had to go on leave following allegations of using abusive language against Kotak Mahindra Bank staff and of fraudulent practices. While Grover's leave for a few months was initially presented as amicable, it soon became clear that the Board did not want him back. Grover had later accused CEO Sameer of siding with the investors to remove him from office.
Earlier on Thursday, Grover also took a fresh dig at the company for first quarter's de-growth, along with maximum cash burn.
BharatPe, which allows shop owners to make digital payments through QR codes, last month, first sacked his wife Madhuri Jain which was followed by Grover himself resigning. Thereafter, Grover was stripped of all titles and positions after a third-party audit alleged grave governance lapses under him.
The board and the audit report has alleged Grover of "extensive misappropriation of company funds" by "creating fake vendors" to siphon money and using "company expense accounts" to "enrich themselves and fund their lavish lifestyles."