By Ishita Ganguly

Copyright startuppedia

“Zoko founder Arjun V Paul said that he has been trying to shut down an old company for over two years, and the struggle continues.Advertisment “I’ve been trying to shut down our old Indian company for over TWO F*CKING YEARS,” he wrote on LinkedIn. Startup founder compares shutting startup with divorce battle Paul compares the shutting down of a startup with a “divorce battle” with an ex-wife. Listing down what a founder goes through in the “bureaucratic hell”, he shared: – Empty GST filings (proving we’re making zero revenue) – Board meetings documentation (for a company with no operations) – Director KYC compliance (yes, they need to verify I still exist) – Annual tax filings (for Rs.0 in revenue) – Plus other sh*t my CA files without even telling me “Oh if you actually owed anyone any money that’s the 9th circle of hell,” the startup founder said. He further elaborated ironically that as Judas is chewed eternally in Lucifer”s jaws, an Indian entrepreneur in liquidation is chewed eternally by forms, affidavits, audits, and hearings. “Now I am beginning to understand where they got their inspiration to design this system,” Paul remarked sarcastically. Paul further shared about “The Office Display Insanity” expected from Indian startup founders. He said that 18 months after the company shutdown process begins, the Indian government asks for a picture of the physical office with the company name and address displayed. “They expected you to pay rent and maintain signage for a DEFUNCT COMPANY for 18 months,” he said. Paul shared how the filings keep continuing, with more than Rs. 2 Lakhs expenditure on CA and other legal fees, not to mention time for a defunct company. The startup founder, now based in Cambridge, England, warns new entrepreneurs that before they get excited about any government’s promises of “startup-friendly policies,” they should ask ONE question: “How easy is it to voluntarily shut down a company?” “That’ll tell you everything you need to know about how ‘business-friendly” it will be to run one,” he concluded. Also read: Zomato deliveryman assaulted by 2 men in Bengaluru over a delayed food order: Viral video (startuppedia.in)”