Delhi High Court Imposed Rs2 Lakhs Costs For Violating Orders; Ashneer Grover Apologises For ‘Defamatory’ Posts Against BharatPe

The Delhi High Court in the case Resilient Innovations Private Limited v. Madhuri Jain Grovers and Ors observed wherein the former Managing Director of BharatPe, Ashneer Grover tendered an apology before the court for posting allegedly defamatory posts against the fintech company on social media and also gave an undertaking not to post similar posts in the future.
The bench headed by Justice Rekha Palli in the case observed and has bound Grover to the undertaking filed by him by way of an affidavit, subject to payment of costs of Rs.2 lakhs payable by to the Delhi High Court Bar Clerk’s Association.
The court stated that it was appalled to note the persistent violation of the judicial orders by Grover.
The court stated while taking into account that the defendant no.2 is now filing an affidavit specifically undertaking not to post any such defamatory posts against the plaintiff in the future and is also to apologise for his past post against the plaintiff, thus, the said court is inclined to close the matter at this stage by binding the defendant no.2 to undertaking filed by him.
The bench of Justice Palli in the case was hearing an application moved by BharatPe, in its defamation suit against Grover and various others, wherein it seeks to restrain the former MD from making any defamatory statements against it on any platform.
It being the case of BharatPe’s that despite the specific order passed by the court on May 16 wherein directing the counsel appearing for the parties to advise their clients to avoid recourse to unparliamentary and defamatory publications against each other, Grover had proceeded to publish defamatory tweets against the fintech company.
It was submitted before the court by BharatPe that on May 26, Grover had undertaken to voluntarily remove all the offending posts, with an assurance that he will, in future, abide by May 16th order.
On the other hand, the counsel appearing for Grover’s informed the court that his client has not only categorically apologised, in the affidavit, for posting the impugned posts against BharatPe on social media but has also specifically undertaken not to post any such defamatory contents in the future.
The bench of Justice Palli in the case observed and has imposed an amount of Rs. 2 lakhs costs on Grover which needs to be paid within the period of one month.
It has also been directed by the court that the Association to utilize the amount for the welfare of families of those clerks who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Therefore, the defendants in the suit are Grover, his wife, his brother-in-law and father-in-law. Thus, BharatPe in the suit has accused Grover of running a ‘vicious campaign’ against the company.
In the present case, the BharatPe in the suit has sought damages of over Rs. 88 crores from the defendants and among other reliefs, the suit seeks to restrain the defendants from making defamatory statements against the company.