Singapore High Court Rejects Byju Raveendran’s Plea, Upholds Six-Month Jail Term in Major Setback

The Singapore High Court has rejected Byju Raveendran’s bid to overturn his six-month jail sentence for contempt of court, marking the biggest legal setback yet for the founder of the collapsed edtech startup BYJU’S. The ruling means Raveendran risks imprisonment if he returns to Singapore, although his lawyer said the order has no immediate practical effect because he is not currently in the country.  

The court rejected Raveendran’s application on July 9 to suspend the sentence, which was originally imposed in May over alleged non-compliance with court orders. The case is one of several legal disputes involving the founder across jurisdictions following the collapse of BYJU’S.  

The Singapore proceedings come as Raveendran faces claims from overseas investors and lenders. In the United States, lenders are pursuing recovery of losses tied to a defaulted $1.2 billion term loan, while in Singapore, a subsidiary of the Qatar Investment Authority is pursuing legal action linked to its investment in the company.  

Raveendran’s lawyer, J. Michael McNutt of Lazareff Le Bars, said the founder “maintains that he did not breach any court order, intentionally or otherwise” and would continue to pursue all lawful remedies. McNutt also said the order has “no practical effect unless and until he chooses to enter Singapore.”  

Once valued at $22 billion, BYJU’S became India’s most valuable startup during the pandemic as demand for online education surged. The company later came under pressure amid slowing growth, governance concerns and mounting debt, triggering insolvency proceedings in India and legal disputes across multiple jurisdictions.  

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