Byju’s founder Byju Raveendran on Tuesday suffered another legal setback after the High Court of Singapore rejected his application to overturn a six-month jail sentence for contempt of court, reported Bloomberg. The decision means the sentence remains in force and could affect his ability to return to Singapore without serving the jail term.
The report said the court dismissed Raveendran’s application on July 9. His legal firm, Lazareff Le Bars, confirmed the outcome. The sentence had originally been issued in May, although the court temporarily paused its enforcement last month while considering his request.
The latest ruling comes as Raveendran continues to face legal disputes in several countries over the collapse of Byju’s, once one of India’s most valuable edtech companies.
Why did Singapore court reject Raveendran’s plea?
The Bloomberg report did not specify the court’s detailed reasoning for rejecting the application. However, the dismissal means the earlier six-month prison sentence for contempt of court remains valid.
Raveendran has denied violating any court order. His legal team said he did not breach the court’s directions either deliberately or unintentionally and intends to continue challenging the decision through available legal channels.
“Mr. Raveendran maintains that he did not breach any court order, intentionally or otherwise, and will continue to pursue every lawful remedy through the proper legal process,” J. Michael McNutt, a lawyer at Lazareff Le Bars, said in a statement, Bloomberg reported.
His lawyers also said the ruling will have practical consequences only if Raveendran decides to enter Singapore. He is currently outside the country, and there is no confirmation about when or whether he plans to return.
According to his legal team, if he travels to Singapore in the future, he may seek another appeal at that stage, after which the court would consider the matter.
What does the ruling mean for Byju’s founder?
Byju’s, operated by Think & Learn Pvt Ltd, was once regarded as one of India’s biggest startup success stories. The company reached a multi-billion-dollar valuation during its rapid expansion before running into financial troubles, governance concerns and disputes with investors and lenders.
Raveendran now faces legal claims from several international investors. In the United States, lenders are trying to recover losses linked to a $1.2 billion term loan provided to the company, reported Bloomberg.
The Singapore case was initiated by a subsidiary of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), one of Byju’s major investors during its high-growth phase.