Zoho Founder Sridhar Vembu Owns Only 5% Of Zoho, No Wrongdoing In Share Transfers: Attorney

Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu’s attorney has denied allegations of wrongdoing related to the ownership and alleged transfer of shares in Zoho Corporation, calling the claims “completely false” and “baseless.”

The clarification came through an X post by Christopher C. Melcher, Vembu’s attorney, amid growing public scrutiny around an ongoing divorce case in a California court.

Zoho founder and CEO Sridhar Vembu has found himself at the centre of global headlines after a California court in the United States directed him to deposit a bond of $1.7 billion (roughly Rs 15,000 crore) in connection with his divorce proceedings.

The case referred to Vembu’s wife in which she has asserted that Sridhar owned 88% of the stock and asked for a bond in the United States for $1.7 billion to cover her supposed 1/2 interest of the 88% of the shares. The lawyer said that the judge inexplicably made the order in violation of Shridhar’s rights to due process and over my strong objection.

He further noted that the bond order has not been enforced in the past six months and that the receivership mentioned in earlier reports has been fully stayed, with no receiver currently in place.

Lawyer rejects claim of majority stake in Zoho

According to Melcher, Vembu owns only 5% of the shares in Zoho Corporation Private Limited (ZCPL), a stake that has remained unchanged since at least 2011. He said allegations that Vembu owns 88% of the company or secretly transferred shares to defraud his wife are factually incorrect.

The lawyer stated that Vembu had voluntarily offered to transfer 50% of his personal shareholding—equivalent to 2.5% of Zoho—to his wife last year, without conditions. However, the offer was allegedly rejected.

“He cannot transfer more shares than he owns,” Melcher said, adding that company records consistently reflect the same ownership structure over the past decade.

As Sridhar Vembu’s attorney, I can provide the real background for those who have any question whether Sridhar has done anything wrong. The allegations made by his wife are completely false and this story is likewise untrue.

Sridhar owns 5% of the shares of Zoho Corporation…

— Christopher C. Melcher (@CA_Divorce) January 11, 2026

Case under appeal

Melcher said the matter is now under appeal and accused the wife’s legal team of pushing “conspiracy theories” while seeking additional legal fees. He added that Vembu has already paid millions towards support, legal costs, and transferred the family residence to his wife without compensation.

Vembu married Pramila Srinivasan in 1993, and the couple has a son. In recent years, the Zoho founder has been running his software giant largely from India and is widely known for his austere lifestyle and public advocacy of rural development. The sheer scale of the divorce settlement has therefore come as a surprise to many.