Wipro Takes Legal Action Against Former CFO Jatin Dalal for Joining rival Cognizant

A suit has been filed in Bengaluru’s civil court against Wipro’s former CFO, Jatin Dalal, following which Dalal has requested an arbitration.

Despite the uncertainty about the lawsuit’s basis, the arguments from both parties have been heard, and the court will announce its decision on whether to refer the dispute to arbitration on January 3.

To resolve a dispute, there is an arbitration mechanism if the employment contract allows it.

Dalal became CFO of Cognizant on December 1. The case was heard for the first time on November 28. Dalal filed an arbitration request under Section 8 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 in early December.

Dalal reports to Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar. He became the CFO at Wipro in 2015, and he was promoted to the role of President in 2019. Dalal has been with the company for two decades. Upon completion of visa formalities, he will move to the U.S. or the UK.

Wipro recently lodged another complaint against its former Senior Vice President (SVP) and Head of Healthcare and Medical Devices for the Americas, Mohd Haque. The complaint alleges that Haque violated non-compete agreements by joining Cognizant, Wipro’s direct competitor, as the SVP and Business Unit Head for Life Sciences. Wipro further claimed that Haque improperly transferred “seven files” through his personal Gmail account, breaching the terms of his employment contract.