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A bitter custody dispute between Rippling co-founder Prasanna Sankar and his estranged wife, Dhivya Sashidhar, has taken a dramatic turn, playing out publicly on social media. Sankar recently shared a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation on platform X, claiming that Dhivya had voluntarily handed over custody of their son, Amar.
However, in a video statement, Dhivya alleged that her son had gone missing and accused a person named Gokulakrishnan, reportedly Sankar’s personal assistant, of forcibly taking the child away from her.
Dhivya’s Allegations of Forceful Separation from Son
Dhivya claimed that she and her son, both U.S. citizens, had been living in the U.S. before Prasanna pressured them to return to India under the pretext of a property dispute. She stated that their marriage had been troubled, and legal proceedings were already underway.
“Someone named Gokulakrishnan, who is reportedly my husband’s PA, had forcibly taken my son from me. I don’t know the whereabouts of my son. I’m suffering,” Dhivya said in her emotional plea.
Prasanna Responds with Proof of Child’s Safety
In response, Prasanna shared photos and videos of himself with Amar, stating, “Son is safe and happy with me.” He dismissed the claims of abduction, emphasizing that his wife had willingly given him custody.
Marital Breakdown and Accusations of Infidelity
The dispute is part of a larger conflict involving allegations of infidelity and false legal complaints. Prasanna accused Dhivya of having an affair with a man named Anoop, which he claims was exposed through messages and hotel booking details provided by Anoop’s wife. He alleged that after their marriage fell apart, Dhivya sought a significant financial settlement and, upon failure to reach an agreement, filed false complaints against him, including allegations of domestic violence and rape.
Prasanna claimed that these accusations were investigated by Singaporean authorities and that he was cleared of all charges.
Custody Dispute Spreads Across Countries
The custody battle over their nine-year-old son has led to legal battles in both the U.S. and India. Prasanna alleged that Dhivya took their child to the U.S. to strengthen her divorce case. However, he filed an international child abduction case in the U.S., and according to him, the judge ruled in his favor and ordered the child’s return.
Later, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Chennai, in which Prasanna agreed to pay Dhivya Rs 9 crore along with Rs 4.3 lakh per month for shared custody. However, he alleged that Dhivya later reneged on the agreement, claiming it was invalid and stating her intent to return to the U.S. to pursue a divorce.
Kidnapping Accusations and Police Involvement
As tensions rose, Prasanna approached the court to enforce the MoU. Dhivya, in turn, accused him of kidnapping their son. Prasanna claimed that the Chennai police harassed him and his associates without a legal basis. He alleged that his friend Gokul was detained without an FIR being filed.
By Monday evening, Prasanna provided an update stating that the police commissioner had assured him there would be no arrests. He expressed relief and indicated his willingness to let the courts handle the custody matter.
“We have peace. (The) Commissioner has assured there’d be no arrests. Will leave child custody to courts. Just wants to investigate if real kidnapping happened. My dad is returning back to his home. I’m getting back to doing productive work. Thanks a lot for all your support!” he said in his final update.
