Fresh trouble for Byju Raveendran as Singapore court refuses to stay jail term

Singapore: Byju's founder Byju Raveendran has suffered another legal setback after the High Court of Singapore refused to suspend his six-month prison sentence for contempt of court, leaving the order in force while his appeal is pending.

The ruling, delivered on 9 July, means Raveendran could face imprisonment if he travels to Singapore while the sentence remains effective, according to a Bloomberg report.

The six-month jail term was imposed in May after the High Court found Raveendran guilty of contempt of court. Although the sentence had been temporarily stayed to allow a further hearing, the court has now declined to extend that relief.

Raveendran has already appealed the contempt conviction before Singapore's Court of Appeal. However, the latest decision means he will not receive interim protection from the prison sentence while the appeal is being heard.

Responding to the order, Raveendran's legal team said he continues to deny any wrongdoing and intends to contest the case through all 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," his lawyer, J. Michael McNutt of Lazareff Le Bars, said in a statement, as quoted by Bloomberg.

The lawyer also noted that the ruling has little immediate practical impact as Raveendran is currently outside Singapore.

"In the future, should he be in, or intend to travel to, Singapore, he may appeal then and the court will deal with it. The order has no practical effect unless and until he chooses to enter Singapore," McNutt added.

The Singapore proceedings are among several legal battles involving the embattled entrepreneur.

In the United States, creditors are continuing efforts to recover funds linked to a USD 1.2 billion loan extended to the edtech company, while investors remain engaged in litigation following the company's financial collapse.

Separately, a subsidiary of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), which invested in Byju's during one of its funding rounds, has also initiated legal proceedings against Raveendran in Singapore. The investment was made when the company was simultaneously undertaking significant workforce reductions.

QIA welcomed the High Court's latest decision and said it would continue to pursue all legal remedies available against Raveendran.

Once celebrated as one of India's most successful start-up founders, Raveendran built Think & Learn Pvt Ltd, the parent company of Byju's, into one of the country's most valuable edtech firms. However, mounting financial difficulties, governance concerns and a series of legal disputes have since led to the company's dramatic decline.