CHENNAI: Global technology firm Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu’s estranged wife, Pramila Srinivasan, has moved the Madras High Court seeking judicial assistance in connection with divorce proceedings pending before a court in the US. In her petition, Srinivasan has urged the High Court to honour a Letters Rogatory issued by the Superior Court of California, which has sought help from Indian authorities to record the evidence of witnesses residing in India.
The plea relates to a divorce case between the couple that is currently being heard in California, where Srinivasan has initiated legal proceedings. As several individuals whose testimony is considered material to the case are based in India, the US court issued a Letters Rogatory, a formal request used in cross-border litigation to obtain evidence or conduct judicial acts in another country. Srinivasan has now approached the Madras High Court to facilitate the execution of this request under Indian law.
In her submission, Srinivasan has requested the appointment of a court-appointed commissioner to record sworn testimony from witnesses located in India, including Sridhar Vembu, and to collect relevant evidence for transmission to the California court. She has contended that without such assistance, it would be difficult for the US court to complete the evidentiary process in a fair and comprehensive manner, given the international nature of the dispute.
The petition states that the divorce proceedings involve complex questions relating to marital assets and financial arrangements, and that witness testimony from India is crucial to adjudicating the issues before the California court. It also points out that Indian courts have, in the past, assisted foreign courts by executing Letters Rogatory in both civil and criminal matters, subject to domestic legal procedures and safeguards.
Following the filing of the plea, the Madras High Court has taken note of the request and issued notice to Sridhar Vembu, seeking his response. The court is expected to examine whether the requirements for executing the Letters Rogatory are met and whether a local commissioner can be appointed to record evidence in accordance with Indian procedural law.
Married since 1993, the couple is locked in a divorce battle before a California court, with Pramila, an academician holding a doctorate in electrical and computer engineering, accusing Vembu of abandoning her and their autistic child after relocating to India in 2020 and of transferring Zoho-related assets to family members to diminish her rightful share.
Sridhar Vembu, a prominent figure in India’s technology sector and the co-founder of Zoho Corporation, has been residing in Tamil Nadu in recent years after relocating from the US. The divorce dispute has drawn attention both for its cross-border legal dimensions and for the high financial stakes reportedly involved. Vembu has publicly denied allegations relating to the improper transfer or concealment of assets, while Srinivasan has maintained that full disclosure and examination of evidence are necessary for a just resolution.
The outcome of the proceedings before the Madras High Court will determine whether Indian judicial authorities will formally assist the US court by enabling evidence to be recorded in India. The case is being closely watched for its implications on international matrimonial disputes and the extent of cooperation between Indian courts and foreign jurisdictions in civil matters involving Indian citizens and global business interests.