Byju’s, the troubled edtech company, has responded to the resignation of its auditor BDO, claiming that BDO made unethical requests, including asking to backdate reports. Byju’s insists it complied with all legal requests but refused to engage in any illegal activities. They also argued that BDO’s resignation came after the 45-day deadline for additional information, during which BDO allegedly did not communicate with Byju’s new Insolvency Resolution Professional. The company emphasized that a forensic audit was already in progress before entering insolvency proceedings, countering claims that they withheld important information. Byju’s portrays the situation as a miscommunication rather than a failure on their part.
Byju’s Hits Back Against Auditor BDO’s Resignation
In a dramatic turn of events, the beleaguered edtech giant Byju’s has strongly responded to the recent resignation of its auditor BDO (MSKA and Associates). The auditor stepped down, citing inadequate support and serious concerns regarding the company’s practices. However, Byju’s claims BDO was making unethical requests, including proposals to backdate financial reports.
On Saturday, Byju’s issued a statement emphasizing that it has complied with all of BDO’s requests—except those that would breach ethical and legal standards. The company insists that the true reason behind BDO’s resignation was their insistence on not backdating the reports, which Byju’s described as an illegal activity. The firm also mentioned that they have several call recordings where BDO representatives suggested this backdating, which they firmly rejected.
The controversy intensified after Byju’s entered insolvency proceedings on July 16, 2024, due to a legal dispute with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Byju’s contends that BDO’s requests for information started only a day after this announcement. They pointed out that BDO threatened to resign after 45 days if they did not receive the requested clarifications, despite knowing that the company was under the control of an Insolvency Resolution Professional (IRP).
Additionally, Byju’s criticized BDO for not responding to inquiries made by the IRP, calling their lack of communication surprising and suspicious. Addressing concerns regarding Middle Eastern transactions, Byju’s stated that prior to the insolvency proceedings, they had initiated a forensic audit supervised by BDO, which could not be completed in time. The embattled firm remains determined to clarify its position and resolve these challenges as it fights to regain stability.
With this unfolding saga, the future of Byju’s continues to be uncertain, raising critical questions about ethics in corporate governance within the edtech sector.
Tags: Byju’s, BDO, edtech, auditor, resignation, insolvency, corporate governance, financial reports, ethical standards, legal issues.
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What is the main issue Between Byju’s and BDO?
Byju’s is concerned about BDO’s lack of clear communication with the Insolvency Resolution Professional (IRP), which Byju’s finds suspicious. -
Who is BDO in this situation?
BDO is a firm that was expected to help manage Byju’s finances during its insolvency process. -
Why does Byju’s think the communication issue is a problem?
Byju’s believes that effective communication is important for a smooth resolution process. They feel that without it, the chances of a good outcome decrease. -
What does IRP mean?
IRP stands for Insolvency Resolution Professional, a person responsible for overseeing the bankruptcy process and helping solve financial problems. - What is Byju’s hoping to achieve by addressing this issue?
Byju’s wants better communication and cooperation from BDO to ensure that the insolvency process moves forward effectively and fairly.