'Witch-Hunt': Zilingo CEO Ankiti Bose on Being Fired Amid Irregularities Probe

Bose alleged in her statement that she had been receiving death threats since her removal as CEO.

Ankiti Bose.

(Photo: Instagram/Ankiti Bose)

Singapore-based fashion startup Zilingo fired its Indian-origin chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder Ankiti Bose on Friday, 20 May, due to alleged financial irregularities. Bose, in a statement, said that she was informed that she had been terminated from employment due to "insubordination", and called the situation a "witch hunt".

"I have been suspended for the last 51 days based on an anonymous whistle-blower complaint, and today I am informed that my employment has been terminated inter alia on grounds of 'insubordination'," Bose said in a post on Twitter.

The company had been founded in 2015 by Bose and Dhruv Kapoor, who is currently the chief technology officer of Zilingo Pte.

In a statement regarding Bose's removal, Zilingo had said, "Following an investigation led by an independent forensics firm that was commissioned to look into complaints of serious financial irregularities, the company has decided to terminate Ankiti Bose’s employment with cause, and reserves the right to pursue appropriate legal action," as per PTI.

'Have Been Receiving Death Threats': Bose

Bose was suspended from the Singapore-based company on 31 March due to alleged discrepancies in the company's accounts.

Reacting to her suspension, Bose said, "I was suspended on the basis that the company had instructed investigators to investigate the complaint. I have neither seen the reports and not been given sufficient time to produce any documents requested by them."

Bose also said that she had been receiving "a constant barrage" of online threats against her and her family. She further added that she would pursue her "rights against this witch-hunt to the full extent of the law."

After Bose was suspended, Zilingo said that she had brought certain harassment-related issues to their attention.

"On 11 April, after her suspension on 31 March, Ankiti Bose brought to the board’s attention, for the first time, certain harassment-related issues pertaining to past time periods, which did not include any harassment complaints against investors or their nominees," Zilingo's statement added.

Meanwhile, Bose said that she would elaborate on the issue soon. "I will be speaking on record shortly with more details about the conflicts of interest in the manner this process was run and other matters which are being used to defame me including the timeline of events, harassment claims etc."

(With inputs from PTI.)