A dramatic legal battle has unfolded between Prasanna Sankar, co-founder of Rippling, and his estranged wife, Dhivya Sashidhar, as allegations of police harassment, false complaints, and international custody disputes take center stage. Prasanna has now approached the Madras High Court (HC), accusing the police of acting at his wife’s behest and unlawfully detaining his friend, Gokul S, without filing a First Information Report (FIR).
Prasanna alleges that Dhivya orchestrated police harassment to gain custody of their nine-year-old son and force him into submission. According to his petition, the Tamil Nadu police have been attempting to locate and seize the child, disregarding court orders prohibiting such actions.
The situation escalated when Gokul S, a close friend of Prasanna, was allegedly detained in Bengaluru for three days without an FIR. The police allegedly conveyed that Gokul would only be released if Prasanna presented himself at the police station with his son.
Prasanna’s petition outlines a sequence of alarming events:
- March 7: Police allegedly attempted to enter Prasanna’s hotel room to forcibly take custody of the child, but he had already vacated the premises.
- March 12-21: Authorities repeatedly visited the homes of Prasanna’s mother and Gokul S, pressuring them for information on his whereabouts.
- March 21: Gokul was taken into custody in Bengaluru without a formal complaint and detained for three days, raising concerns about due process.
The dispute traces back to Prasanna’s discovery of his wife’s alleged extramarital affair, which led to their marital breakdown. He claims Dhivya demanded an exorbitant divorce settlement, setting off a series of contentious legal battles.
In February 2025, the couple signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreeing to a mutual consent divorce and joint custody of their son. However, Prasanna accuses Dhivya of breaching this agreement by refusing to place the child’s travel documents in a joint locker and filing a false kidnapping complaint against him.
Dhivya has denied all allegations, presenting a different narrative. According to her, she filed the kidnapping complaint solely to locate their son, claiming that Gokul S had forcibly taken the child away. Dhivya also alleges that she was coerced into signing the MoU and accuses Prasanna of luring her and their child back to India under pretenses.
Furthermore, Dhivya asserts that Prasanna has a history of criminal behavior, adding another layer of complexity to the case.
The Madras High Court has intervened, with Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan issuing a directive prohibiting the police from harassing Prasanna. The court emphasized that the authorities must adhere to due process and avoid taking extrajudicial actions in family disputes.
This high-profile case has brought to light broader concerns regarding the misuse of police power in family disputes. It also raises questions about the enforcement of MoUs in custody cases and highlights the difficulties faced by individuals navigating legal systems across multiple jurisdictions.
The legal battle between Prasanna Sankar and Dhivya Sashidhar continues to capture widespread attention, drawing scrutiny to the role of law enforcement in private disputes. As the Madras High Court navigates the complexities of this emotionally charged case, the outcome is likely to resonate far beyond the immediate parties involved, potentially influencing future custody battles and police protocols in similar situations.
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Akanksha Sinha
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