Delhi HC Refuses Ashneer Grover’s Plea Against Income Tax Notice

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a writ petition filed by former BharatPe managing director Ashneer Grover challenging an income tax notice.

The income tax notice dated 29 May 2023, was issued to him under Section 8 of the Black Money Act, Mint reported.

Grover filed the plea against the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Deputy Director of Income Tax.

In his plea, Grover has sought cancellation of the notice and “stay of the assessment proceedings” under the Black Money and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015.

Grover claimed he was aggrieved by the arbitrary and mechanical way was issued. “The impugned notice suffers from unparalleled perversity and is a complete travesty of justice and the petitioner has prayed for quashing of the impugned notice and in the interim stay on the proceedings under the Black Money Act, 2015,” according to the petition filed, Mint reported.

The former BharatPe MD has been embroiled in controversies since early 2022. Amid an ongoing tussle with BharatPe, the fintech unicorn earlier alleged that Grover, his wife Madhuri Jain Grover and other family members created fake bills, enlisted fictitious vendors to provide services to the company and overcharged the firm for recruitment.

Earlier in May, the company lodged a criminal complaint against the Grovers and members of their family, which was registered by the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing.

The couple had filed a petition requesting the HC to quash the FIR filed, alleging a fraud of INR 81 Cr by its former MD and ex-head of controls.

The Delhi High Court later refused to stay the investigation against Ashneer Grover and his wife Madhuri Jain Grover on a FIR registered by the Delhi Police based on a complaint by BharatPe.

Most recently, Grover and BharatPe were ordered to stop posting potentially defamatory statements around the allegations made in the EOW FIR.