BharatPe co-founder and MD Ashneer Grover goes on long leave after viral abuse video

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 19 (ANI): Ashneer Grover, Co-founder and Managing Director of fintech firm BharatPe, has gone on a voluntary leave till March 31, 2022, the company announced on Wednesday.
Grover’s decision to go on a long leave has come just days after a controversy had erupted over his alleged use of abusive and threatening language against a Kotak Mahindra Bank employee.
According to a statement released by BharatPe, Ashneer Grover has informed the company’s Board about his decision to go on leave till March-end.
“For now, the Board has accepted Ashneer’s decision which we agree is in the best interests of the ‘company, our employees and investors, and the millions of merchants we support each day,” the statement said.
Earlier this month an audio clip of a man, allegedly Ashneer Grover, abusing and threatening a Kotak Mahindra Bank employee, went viral. Grover allegedly threatened the Kotak Mahindra Bank staffer on phone for failing to secure finance and allocation of shares in Nykaa initial public offering (IPO).
Grover has denied the charges terming the audio clip “fake”.
In Ashneer Grover’s absence, BharatPe will be led by its chief executive officer Suhail Sameer.
“Ashneer has co-built BharatPe from scratch and his decision is consistent with his passionate commitment to the future success of the company,” BharatPe said in the statement. (ANI)