A day after Stayzilla CEO Yogendra Vasupal was arrested for allegedly defrauding a media agency in Chennai, Aditya CS, proprietor of Jig Saw Solution and Advertising says that all of Vasupal’s claims are fraudulent and that Stayzilla never conveyed any deficiency in services to them. Vasupal and his wife had claimed that they were being targeted by a local politician and the media agency. Vasupal agreed that there is outstanding payment for the agency, but claimed it was not paid due to "deficiency of service".
Talking to The News Minute, Aditya denied the charge and said that Jig Saw has been executing all campaigns since Stayzilla started operations. The News Minute has in its possession an audit confirmation letter by Insara Technologies, the holding company of Stayzilla, acknowledging a balance of Rs 1,56,32,992 due to Jig Saw. And in December 2016, CFO Sachit Singhi apparently wrote to Aditya stating that he would revert on ‘when and how we are going to clear the payable’ for a particular campaign involving baggage tags. The emails and documents were provided by Aditya.
“These startups get funding, they spend carelessly, they live a hunky-dory life and keep our payments on hold, and then shut shop saying we don’t have money. People doing genuine business like us have to bear the brunt,” Aditya says, seething in anger. In an email to The News Minute, he wrote, “I AM NOT SCARED of their tantrums, my case is genuine and will fight it in the courts and I trust the courts.”
Refuting claims that payment was refused for deficiency in services, Aditya says that there was never any communication from the company about this. “For the outdoor ad where they claim there is a dispute, they did not clear the bill because they did not have money. I took approval of the sites where I was going to put up the hoarding from Stayzilla. I also have proof of delivery submission. They never contested my delivery. I have sent them multiple statements, they have acknowledged my invoices. I also said that if is any dispute, it has to be communicated within 7 days of sending invoice. None of this has happened. This is a false claim,” Aditya says.
Aditya filed a complaint with the Central Crime Branch in Chennai on March 8 and an FIR was registered on March 13 under IPC section 420 (fraud), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
In the complaint filed by Aditya, he has also stated that when he demanded further clarity on payment in the first week of December 2016, Sachit Singhi, co-founder, Stayzilla criminally intimidated him stating that Aditya will face dire consequence if he continues any further demanding payment of money.
When asked why he chose not to file a civil case and instead went to the police with a case of intimidation, Aditya said, "It is my lawyer's prerogative to file a case with the Central Crime Branch. I cannot comment on that."
Aditya says that his case is genuine and that he will fight it in the courts. “They cheat us and if the system takes action they cry foul,” he added.
Aditya’s also claim that after Stayzilla abruptly shut shop claiming they are rebooting, several customers who made bookings were left in the lurch without any refunds. There are several complaints posted by users on the Google Playstore and on complaintboard.in on no refund of payments, calling the company a cheat.
Image: Stayzilla FB page