A coup at The Viral Fever

Founder Arunabh Kumar has vetoed an investment attempt by Times Internet and is now plotting his comeback three years after a sexual misconduct scandal.

Harveen Ahluwalia

Mumbai

03 June 2020

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Arunabh Kumar is making a comeback to The Viral Fever. It has been about three years since the founder of one of the edgiest content creators in India had resigned over sexual misconduct allegations. In this time, Kumar has largely stayed away from TVF’s day-to-day operations and let a team of his trusted executives run the show. Until just a few days ago, when Kumar intervened and blocked an investment offer from Times Internet, the digital arm of Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd, one of the largest media houses in India.

In a story published in February, we had written about cash-starved TVF’s arduous hunt for an investor, and how the company was in advanced talks with Times Internet, which also runs the video streaming platform MX Player, for a possible acquisition. With a Times deal, TVF would have gotten breathing room and an exit for existing investors like Tiger

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