Vaibhav Chawla, a Delhi-based entrepreneur, has decided to close down his warehousing startup, Wherehouse, due to operational hurdles following an incident where some employees were allegedly detained by the police without proper documentation due to a client’s complaint. Chawla made the announcement about the company’s closure on his LinkedIn account just two days ago.
Contrary to the claims of detention, sources within the Delhi Police have refuted the allegations, stating that no individuals are currently under custody. They clarified that the police are investigating a complaint of cheating related to the matter.
According to information on its LinkedIn profile, Wherehouse was established in 2021 as a company specializing in supply chain intelligence, aiding brands in enhancing customer proximity, facilitating quicker and more efficient deliveries, and fostering business expansion.
In a post, Chawla, one of the co-founders of the startup, mentioned that the company had overcome numerous challenges such as financial limitations, operational disruptions, and the harsh realities of constructing consumer infrastructure to achieve success.
“We made errors, learned rapidly, remained truthful, and persisted in our efforts every single day. What we developed was substantial – a genuine business, actual infrastructure, real individuals, genuine impact. And a team that devoted a portion of their lives to this vision. We also generated profits last year,” he added.
Chawla, however, acknowledged that the recent months had been extremely challenging, with the company’s primary focus being on supporting the individuals instrumental in its establishment.
Chawla explained that the client’s issue escalated due to a “frivolous complaint,” resulting in what he perceived as excessive police involvement.
“A trivial complaint led to an overstep. Over the last few days, the Wherehouse team was detained without proper documentation, only being released after their families intervened at the police station,” he remarked.
“Wherehouse loses its significance if we fail to safeguard the very individuals who contributed to its creation.”
WHAT LED TO THE COMPLAINT
As per a statement provided to Moneycontrol, Wherehouse indicated that the complaint was filed by Curio Lifestyle, which engaged the startup in July 2024