The recent legal battle between Rippling co-founder Prasanna Sankar and his estranged wife, Dhivya Sashidhar, has garnered significant media attention, highlighting serious allegations from both parties.
Allegations by Prasanna Sankar
Prasanna Sankar, co-founder of the tech company Rippling, has accused his wife, Dhivya, of engaging in an extramarital affair with a man named Anoop, which he claims led to the breakdown of their 10-year marriage. He alleges that upon confronting her, Dhivya demanded a substantial divorce settlement. When negotiations faltered, she purportedly filed false complaints against him, including allegations of domestic violence and rape. Sankar asserts that investigations by Singapore police found these accusations baseless and cleared him of all charges.
Further complicating matters, Sankar claims that Dhivya attempted to abduct their nine-year-old son to the United States to strengthen her divorce case. He states that he filed an international child abduction case in the U.S., resulting in a court ruling in his favor and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). According to Sankar, the MoU stipulated that he would pay Dhivya approximately ₹9 crore and ₹4.3 lakh per month, with both sharing joint custody of their son. He alleges that Dhivya later refused to comply with certain terms of the MoU, particularly regarding the deposit of their child's passport in a shared locker, leading to further legal disputes.
Sankar also accuses the Chennai police of harassment and extortion, claiming they are acting on false kidnapping complaints filed by Dhivya. He alleges that the police have been tracking his movements without proper legal procedures and have detained his friend, Gokul, without a warrant, pressuring him to surrender.
Counter-Allegations by Dhivya Sashidhar
In response, Dhivya Sashidhar has leveled serious accusations against Prasanna Sankar. She alleges that Sankar is a "sexual pervert" who has committed grave sexual offenses, including secretly recording women and subjecting her to sexual assault. Dhivya claims that Sankar was arrested in Singapore on related charges but was later released on bail.
Dhivya also accuses Sankar of financial misconduct, alleging that he illegally transferred her properties to his father, who then transferred them to his brother in Thailand, all in an attempt to evade taxes. She claims that Sankar threatened her into signing documents preventing her from reporting these alleged tax crimes to U.S. authorities.
Regarding their son, Dhivya alleges that Sankar forcibly took the child from her with the help of his personal assistant, Gokulakrishnan, leading her to file a kidnapping complaint with the Chennai police. She expresses concern over their son's safety and is seeking assistance from authorities to locate and return him.
Current Status
As of now, the legal proceedings between Prasanna Sankar and Dhivya Sashidhar are ongoing, with both parties leveling serious allegations against each other. The case has drawn significant public and media attention, shedding light on the complexities and challenges inherent in high-profile divorce and custody battles.
