Zilingo’s Ankiti Bose files FIR against co-founder, ex-COO over fraud, sexual harassment

Technology and commerce platform Zilingo’s founder Ankiti Bose has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against the company’s co-founder Dhruv Kapoor and former Chief Operating Officer (COO) Aadi Vaidya accusing them of cheating, fraud, criminal intimidation and sexual and mental harassment.

In a six-page complaint, Bose said Dhruv Kapoor and Aadi Vaidya were “sneaky and shady” and hid various company-related data and information.

She said that Kapoor and Vaidya were engaged in deceptive activities. They misled her and the company’s investors in an attempt to gain financial advantages and coerce her into relinquishing her shares and business under false pretenses, The Times of India reported.

“As the chief operating officer, Aadi Vaidya engaged in misconduct by falsely attributing loss-making deals to me and extending trade credit to various parties in my name. He then used those deals to threaten me by falsely implicating me to investors, despite the fact that all operational dealings were conducted by him in my previous company. I have been threatened, deceived, and had errors attributed to me in order for Vaidya to fraudulently acquire my shares, which are valued at multiple crores,” she said.

Responding to the allegations, Kapoor said that Bose’s wrongdoings are under scanner for whoch she was terminated from the company. 

“Ankiti Bose’s allegations against me are completely baseless, untrue, and malicious. A thorough investigation has already proven her wrongdoing based on which she was terminated from the company. This appears to be nothing but retaliatory behavior. Throughout my tenure at Zilingo, I upheld my integrity by aiding the board’s inquiry into Ankiti’s misconduct while fostering professional relationships and striving to build ethical products,” said Dhruv Kapoor.

Vaidya too said that Bose’s allegations were baseless.  

“The allegations, as per media reports, made against me by Ms. Ankiti Bose are completely baseless and untrue. This seems like nothing but a clear afterthought done with a malicious intention to harm my reputation and harass me,” Vaidya said.

Bose and Kapoor co-founded Zilingo in 2015. In 2019, Zilingo’s valuation surged to Rs 7,000 crore. In 2022, Bose was fired by the company board following an investigation into alleged financial irregularities by Kroll.

The company had then stated: “Following an investigation led by an independent forensics firm that was commissioned to look into complaints of serious financial irregularities, the company has decided to terminate Ankiti Bose’s employment with cause, and reserves the right to pursue appropriate legal action.”