Byju's bankruptcy: Riju Raveendran petitions the NCLT to be included in the case

On Monday, Riju Raveendran, the brother of Byju Raveendran, the founder of the insolvent edtech company, and its largest stakeholder, went to the Bengaluru insolvency tribunal to request inclusion in the case. The tribunal, however, voiced concerns over his involvement in the proceedings.Before the tribunal, Riju's attorney begged for permission to defend himself against claims made by Byju's lenders—specifically, Glas Trust, a US-based lender—about where the Rs 158 crore that was first given to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to pay its debts came from.Byju's US-based lenders had resisted the settlement, arguing that the funds utilized to reimburse BCCI were corrupted because they were included in the $533 million that was purportedly "missing."

The tribunal, however, stated that determining the source of funds falls under the jurisdiction of the income tax authorities and the Enforcement Directorate. It directed the lenders to file objections to Raveendran’s plea and adjourned the hearing.However, the panel declared that the Enforcement Directorate and the income tax authorities had the authority to ascertain the source of funds. It postponed the hearing and instructed the lenders to oppose to Raveendran's plea.The appeal panel was earlier informed by Riju Raveendran, a board member of the business, that the funds paid to the BCCI were "clean." His attorney had maintained that the $533 million that the lenders said was "missing" did not include the payment to the BCCI. The US lenders and Byju's parent business, Think & Learn, are at odds over the missing funds.