New Delhi, November 17: BharatPe former CEO Ashneer Grover and his wife Madhuri Jain were halted at the Delhi International Airport under the authority of a Lookout Circular (LoC) issued against them, police said on Friday. The LoC was initiated at the request of the Delhi Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW). Confirming the news, the Joint Commissioner of Police (EOW), Sindhu Pillai said they were stopped at the airport on Thursday night on the LoC issued by EOW while refusing to share more details due to the ongoing probe.

As per sources, the couple, en route to New York, was directed to return to their residence in Delhi and cooperate with the ongoing investigation led by the EOW. The nature of the probe or the specific allegations against Grover and Jain remains undisclosed as of now. Recently, the Delhi Police had submitted a status report in High Court in which it had alleged financial irregularities in BharatPe's operations by co-founder Ashneer Grover and his family members and implication in questionable practices, including the use of backdated invoices to channel funds. Ashneer Grover and Deepak Shenoy Trade Barbs After Delhi Police Uncovers BharatPe Backdated Invoices To Channel Funds.

Eight HR consulting firms associated with Grover's family, such as True Work Co., Team Source, and Impulse Marketing, filed bills with closed bank accounts, indicating the potential fabrication of invoices, as per the report. The reports stated that these seemingly distinct entities shared the same registered address, sparking concerns about their legitimacy and independence, possibly hinting at a conflict of interest. 'Time for Startups Founders To Enter Politics': Ashneer Grover Slams Govt Over 28% GST on Online Gaming, Says USD 10 Billion Down the Drain in This Monsoon.

"The use of backdated invoices not only raises issues of financial impropriety but also questions the transparency and accountability of BharatPe's financial operations," stated the report. Additionally, the EOW's difficulty in tracing vendor payments adds a layer of complexity, prompting scrutiny into BharatPe's due diligence in its business transactions.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2023 03:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).