Delhi HC permits Ashneer Grover and wife to travel abroad separately amidst ongoing EOW probe

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has permitted former BharatPe Managing Director and Shark Tank fame’s Ashneer Grover, and his wife Madhuri Jain Grover, to travel to the US - but separately.

Grover is permitted to travel from May 26 to June 12, whereas his wife has been authorized to travel from June 15 onwards to ensure the availability of at least one of the duo in the country.

The Court also asked the Delhi Police’s suggestion on conditions to be imposed on them alongside the grant of the permissions.

The couple had moved the Delhi High Court challenging a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against them by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), after being stopped from flying out of the country in November 2023 on the basis of the LOC.

Amongst other grounds, the Delhi Police had opposed their plea citing concerns regarding foreign asset disposal by Ashneer Grover.

“He will dissipate the assets lying abroad. They are giving evasive replies...Heavens are not going to fall if they don’t go there," the Police had said.

It also cited concerns that the couple have a golden visa for the UAE and that the wife is in any case not cooperating with the investigating authorities.

“Investigation is still on. We are calling the wife and she is not cooperating. She is claiming privilege and privacy and trying to stall the probe. We will complete the investigation in two months," they argued.

Delhi Police's EOW is investigating an alleged fraud of ₹ 81 crores by Grover and his wife on a complaint in this regard by BharatPe (of which Ashneer was a co-founder and the wife Head of Operations).

EOW lodged an FIR against them in May 2023.