Prasanna Sankar, co-founder of billion-dollar startup Rippling, alleges he is fleeing Chennai police after being falsely accused in a child abduction case. He claims the police are harassing him and his associates, including his friend Gokul, who was detained without an FIR. The case has escalated with accusations of domestic abuse, police misconduct, and defamation from both sides.
Marriage Breakdown and Allegations of Infidelity
Prasanna and his wife, Divya Shashidar, were married for a decade and have a nine-year-old son. According to Prasanna, their marriage ended when he discovered that Divya was having an affair with a man named Anoop for over six months. He claims Anoop’s wife provided proof, including messages and hotel reservations.
After this discovery, the couple started discussing their divorce settlement. Prasanna alleges Divya demanded millions of dollars. When negotiations didn’t favor her, he claims she filed a false police complaint accusing him of domestic violence, rape, and leaking private videos. He states that Singapore police investigated the allegations and dismissed them as false. Prasanna then filed for divorce in India, while Divya sought divorce in the U.S., allegedly to secure a larger financial settlement.
My name is Prasanna, who previously founded Rippling (worth $10B); I'm going through a divorce. I'm now on the run from the Chennai police hiding outside of Tamil Nadu. This is my story.
— Prasanna S (@myprasanna) March 23, 2025
Custody Battle and Abduction Allegations
Prasanna claims Divya took their son to the U.S. illegally to strengthen her divorce case. In response, he filed an international child abduction case in a U.S. court. He says the court ruled in his favor and ordered Divya to return their son to India. To resolve the dispute, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), where Prasanna agreed to pay Rs. 9 crore in settlement and Rs. 4.3 lakh per month in child support.
Under the agreement, they were supposed to share equal custody of their son. Prasanna insisted that Divya deposit the child’s passport in a common locker to prevent her from taking him out of India again. However, he alleges Divya refused, raising concerns that she might flee with their son.
Worried about losing custody, Prasanna approached the court to ensure the passport was deposited before handing over the child. Instead of attending court hearings, he claims Divya came to his hotel at night, called their son to the lobby, and tried to take him away. When this failed, she filed a kidnapping complaint against him.
Me and my wife, Dhivya, were married for 10 years and we have a 9 year old son. Recently our marriage broke down after I discovered she was having an affair, with a person named Anoop for 6+ mos.
— Prasanna S (@myprasanna) March 23, 2025
Police Action and Alleged Harassment
Prasanna states that Chennai police raided his mother’s home, questioning her about his location. They allegedly threatened and detained his friend Gokul, who had assisted in picking up the child, warning him that he would be named the main accused if he did not disclose Prasanna’s whereabouts. Gokul fled to Bangalore but was allegedly picked up by Chennai police in plain clothes, without a warrant, and taken back to Chennai.
According to Prasanna, Gokul has been in custody for three days without an FIR. Police reportedly pressured him to convince Prasanna to surrender. Additionally, officers allegedly warned that if Prasanna did not delete social media posts criticizing the police, Gokul would face serious consequences.
On Monday, I will be filing a "don't harass" for me in courts and taking matters through the court system. Meanwhile, my entire family, is out of the state, hiding from the TN cops.
— Prasanna S (@myprasanna) March 23, 2025
Prasanna also claims that the police illegally tracked his phone, bank transactions, car, and IP address. He further alleges that officers raided an Airbnb where he had stayed and confiscated a caretaker’s phone after a payment was made via UPI.
Divya and Police Reject Accusations
Meanwhile, Divya and Chennai police deny Prasanna’s claims. According to them:
- Divya arrived in Chennai from the U.S. with their son.
- On March 11, Prasanna’s assistant Gokul forcibly took the child away.
- When Divya contacted Gokul, he assured her the child was with Prasanna and would be returned by March 5.
- After the child was not returned, she filed a kidnapping complaint on March 9 at the Thirumangalam police station.
- The police launched an investigation and denied any misconduct, claiming Prasanna is defaming them to evade child abduction charges.
Reports also suggest that while living in Singapore, Prasanna was arrested for allegedly placing a hidden camera in their bedroom and physically assaulting Divya. However, he insists he was cleared of all charges.
Legal Battle and Next Steps
Prasanna has announced plans to file a petition on Monday to prevent further police harassment. His family has reportedly left Tamil Nadu, fearing police action. He has also shared photos and videos of his son, claiming the child is safe and happy with him.
As the case unfolds, Prasanna’s legal team prepares for a court battle against the police and his ex-wife. Meanwhile, Divya and Chennai police are expected to hold a joint press conference, likely to present further allegations against him.
