Byju’s co-founder Divya Gokulnath calls the pending BCCI dues “fake news.”

The statement confirms previous media reports that Byju’s owed the BCCI Rs. 86.21 crores in unpaid debts.

Byju’s co-founder Divya Gokulnath referred to news reports as “hearsay” in a furious LinkedIn post. Her statement is consistent with previous media reports claiming that the edtech behemoth, the Indian cricket team’s jersey sponsor, owed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Rs. 86.21 crores in unpaid debts.

“The bizarreness of the fake news story that we had not paid our BCCI dues was only matched by the urgency with which media organizations reported it.” Even in this day and age of post-truth and verifying-after-reporting, we expect real journalists to conduct basic fact checks and not be swayed by hearsay and fabricated stories by vested interests “She penned a letter.

“A lie, as they say, travels around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” The truth has emerged with its shoes on “Gokulnath elaborated.

The remarks of Byju’s co-founder were linked to a news report by The Times of India that refuted the allegations. According to sources, the new contract between BCCI and Byju’s has been prepared but has not yet been signed. The pending funds are for the number of matches played after the contract expired. As a result, the outstanding amount can only be paid after the contract is signed.

Byju’s took over Oppo’s spot on Team India in September 2019, and his contract is up for renewal.

Officials from the BCCI have been complaining about how recent inaccurate and biased press leaks have harmed their own interests. Those in the know claim that the information is incorrect because no contract has yet been signed because the sum leaked to the media — 86.21 crore — is so exact that someone with intimate knowledge of it revealed it hours after the BCCI’s apex council meeting ended.

Top BCCI sources confirmed to TOI that Byju’s had paid the cricket board all past due amounts due in accordance with the contract in place and that the cricket board has a bank guarantee from Byju’s that far exceeds the “pending amount” reported in the media.