Rippling co-founder alleges harassment by wife, Chennai Police over custody

Rippling co-founder Prasanna Sankar has accused his wife and Chennai Police of harassment amid a custody fight, claiming false charges, police raids, and legal intimidation

Prasanna Sankar, co-founder of Rippling, a multi billion dollar company, has alleged harassment by his estranged wife, Divya, and the Chennai Police amid an ongoing custody and divorce battle.

 

In a series of social media posts, Sankar claimed his ordeal began after discovering his wife’s alleged extramarital affair, which he says led to a demand for a massive divorce settlement. According to his posts, when negotiations broke down, his wife filed what he calls a "false police complaint" accusing him of domestic violence.

 

Sankar also alleged that Divya attempted to gain legal leverage by filing for divorce in the US, while he had initiated proceedings in India.

 

 

In addition, Sankar alleged that his wife abducted their 9-year-old son to the US, prompting him to file an international child abduction case. He claims a US court ruled in his favour, leading to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties.

 

Under the MoU, Sankar was required to pay approximately Rs 9 crore and Rs 4.3 lakh per month in support, while sharing joint custody of their son. However, Sankar alleged that his wife refused to honor the agreement, particularly the clause requiring their child’s passport to be kept in a shared locker, leading to more legal disputes.

 

Me and my wife, Dhivya, were married for 10 years and we have a 9 year old son. Recently our marriage broke down after I discovered she was having an affair, with a person named Anoop for 6+ mos.

— Prasanna S (@myprasanna) March 23, 2025

 

‘On the run’ from Chennai Police

 

Sankar further claimed when he sought court intervention to enforce the MoU, his wife retaliated by filing a kidnapping complaint. He alleged that Chennai Police officers arrived at his hotel late at night, prompting him to flee with his son out of fear of wrongful arrest.  ALSO READ | Kunal Kamra vs Shiv Sena: Mumbai studio 'shuts down' after vandalism

 

Sankar added that he informed the police about his son’s safety and the ongoing legal proceedings. Despite this, he claims that police continued to pursue him, harassing his family and friends in the process.

 

Sankar alleged that Chennai Police raided the home of his friend, Gokul, in Bengaluru without a warrant, detained him in Chennai, and tracked Sankar’s movements through illegal means. He claimed authorities seized a caretaker’s phone, raided an Airbnb he had vacated, and threatened Gokul to sign documents refuting Sankar’s social media posts.

 

Sankar alleged that the Assistant Commissioner of Thirumangalam Range and a Sub-Inspector at Thirumangalam police station harassed him for money, knowing he is the successful founder of a multi-billion dollar company.

 

"The Thirumangalam, Chennai police station is harassing me for money knowing that I'm a successful founder. The AC and the SI have asked me for 25 lakh to release my friend who has been in custody," he claimed.

 

According to Sankar, police and his wife are planning a joint press conference to make accusations against him. He announced plans to file a legal petition seeking protection from harassment.

 

Estranged wife responds with counter-allegations

 

In response, Sankar’s estranged wife, Divya, denied his allegations and levelled serious counterclaims. She stated that three weeks ago, Sankar lured her to India under the pretense of settling a property issue, during which her son was forcibly taken from her by a person named Gokula Krishnan. “I didn't know what happened to my son, and that is why I filed a complaint with the police,” she was quoted as saying by India Today.

 

Divya also accused Sankar of transferring matrimonial assets to his father’s name to evade taxes, and alleged those assets were further moved to his brother Vidyasagar in Thailand. “I don’t know what happened to it,” she added.

 

She further claimed she was threatened into signing documents preventing her from reporting the alleged tax crimes in the US. “They threatened and took my signature claiming that I shouldn’t complain about this tax crime. We then returned to India and thought of living peacefully but he is not allowing that too,” Divya stated.

 

Divya alleged that Sankar stole their son’s passport and expressed concern over a possible abduction. She said the Chennai Police were assisting her in recovering their child.

 

In a more serious accusation, Divya claimed that Sankar is a "sexual predator" who secretly recorded women, and alleged that she herself was subjected to sexual assault. She said Sankar had been arrested by Singapore Police in connection with these allegations but was later released on bail.

 

Divya also claimed Sankar was caught in a sting operation related to solicitation and prostitution, which led to his removal from 0xPPL.com, and that he then sought help from the Chennai Police.