HP India’s California based parent HP Inc, as well HP India’s Former MD Sumeer Chandra have been summoned by the Delhi High Court over claims of knowledge of a whistleblower’s bribery.
As CNBC-TV18 reports that the High Court in Delhi has asked HP India and HP Inc to answer claims that the companies were made aware of the bribery by former employee Manoj Grover. Grover alleges he told local management first and then escalate the issue to the compliance team. Grover made HP aware about “kickbacks to government officials for securing deals and for tweaking tenders in the company’s favour.”
HP India’s Former MD Sumeer Chandra was also summoned.
CNBC-TV18 wrote: “The plaint suggests that the government, being the largest customer of HP, often leads to the company employing creative means to make unethical payments to government officials.”
Grover raised the issue in his lawsuit against HP India for wrongful termination through which he is also seeking to claim Rs 40 crore ($5.32 million/ €4.53 million).
CNBC-TV18 received the following statement from HP India: “HP has a strict anti-retaliation policy, which includes a prohibition on retaliating against employees for reporting misconduct. HP requires its employees, partners and suppliers to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and ethical business conduct. We conduct reviews as needed and take appropriate actions to ensure compliance with our standards, but we don’t comment on specific situations.”
