Ankiti Bose, the former CEO of fashion e-commerce platform Zilingo, has filed a $100 million defamation suit against Indian venture capitalist Mahesh Murthy. The lawsuit was filed in the Delhi High Court in March 2023, alleging that Murthy had made false statements about her in a series of tweets and online articles. According to Bose’s complaint, Murthy’s tweets and articles falsely accused her of fraudulent behavior, misconduct, and misappropriation of funds, damaging her reputation and causing her significant mental distress. Bose claims that Murthy’s statements were part of a “malicious campaign” to harm her personal and professional reputation, and that they were made with “reckless disregard” for the truth. Murthy, a well-known figure in India’s startup ecosystem, has been accused of sexual harassment in the past and was arrested in 2018 on charges of stalking and harassment. He has denied the allegations.
Bose, who founded Zilingo in 2015 and stepped down as CEO in 2022, has been hailed as one of the most successful startup founders in Southeast Asia. Under her leadership, Zilingo grew into a unicorn and expanded its operations to multiple countries. She has since started a new venture, called AVANA, which aims to help small businesses in Southeast Asia sell online.
The defamation suit filed by Bose against Murthy is the latest in a series of legal battles between prominent figures in India’s startup ecosystem. In recent years, several high-profile entrepreneurs, investors, and journalists have been involved in lawsuits and legal disputes, highlighting the growing importance of reputation management in the industry.