Byju Raveendran, founder of Indian edtech company Byju’s, has been sentenced to six months in prison by a Singapore court after being found in contempt for repeatedly violating court orders related to the disclosure of his assets.
The ruling, delivered on May 27, marks the latest escalation in the company’s ongoing legal and financial troubles.
The case was brought by Qatar Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of the Qatar Investment Authority, as part of efforts to enforce a US$235 million arbitration award issued through the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.
According to reports, the court found that Raveendran failed to comply with multiple orders issued since April 2024 concerning the disclosure and freezing of assets linked to Beeaar Investco Pte, a company holding shares in a related business structure.
The court also ordered him to surrender to authorities, pay legal costs of S$90,000 and provide documents proving his ownership of Beeaar Investco Pte.
In a statement issued from Dubai following the ruling, Raveendran denied wrongdoing and said settlement discussions with stakeholders were nearing completion. He described the continued legal action as “an unnecessary pressure tactic at a sensitive stage.”