Cult.fit Co-Founder Rishabh Telang Moves Karnataka HC To Quash Criminal Case Over Alleged Forgery

Cult.fit co-founder Rishabh Telang has filed an appeal with the Karnataka High Court to dismiss a criminal case initiated by his brother-in-law, Deepak Poduval. The petition was granted when Justice M Nagaprasanna ordered notices to the government and Poduval, without halting the ongoing police investigation. The hearing is set for September 2.

Poduval accused Telang of forging documents related to the transfer of the original Cult business and the subsequent dissolution of Cult Fitness Private Limited. On August 6, Bellandur Police filed an FIR against Telang under charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating, forgery, using forged documents, and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, alongside Section 66D of the Information Technology Act.

According to Poduval's claim, cultivated Fitness was established in November 2015 with equal 50% ownership. He alleged that Telang subsequently transferred the company's business, customers, goodwill, and revenue to Cultfit Healthcare Private Limited, launched in August 2016. Poduval further accused Telang of having his signatures forged on financial documents to the Registrar of Companies, enabling the 2019 striking off of Cult Fitness.

Telang denies the allegations, stating that the complaint was filed years after the events and conflicts with contemporaneous records. His legal team argued that Poduval was aware of the transfer of trademarks and intellectual property, having signed assignment agreements in 2017. They also claimed that the agreements contained arbitration clauses, making the dispute a civil or commercial matter.

The court acknowledged that a police notice under Section 35 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita had been issued, but there was no immediate threat of arrest. Telang further alleged that the criminal complaint is connected to a family dispute.