Housing.com hacked, flashes Rahul Yadav's name

The incident comes days after company's board of directors oust co-founder Rahul Yadav

Within less than a week of Rahul Yadav’s ouster from Housing.com, the company’s website was hacked and, subsequently, restored on Monday. No one claimed responsibility.

A defaced Housing.com home page showed the message: “Yes! We will solve the real estate, but 10X better with The Chief Architect.” The message seemed a call for Yadav’s reinstatement as chief executive.

Reacting to the incident, Yadav, on his Facebook profile, clarified he wasn’t involved with the hack. “I would have designed it better. #NotInvolved #LoveYouTechTeam.”

Till the time of going to print, Housing.com did not issue a formal statement on the matter.

On July 1, Housing.com’s board announced Yadav’s “release” with immediate effect. “The board believes his behaviour is not befitting of a CEO and is detrimental to the company, known for its innovative approach to product development, market expansion and brand building,” the company had said. Yadav, the release said, would “no longer be an employee of Housing and be associated with the company in any manner, going forward”.

It added the search for an interim chief executive was underway.

In 2012, Yadav, along with his batchmates from Indian Institute of Technology, co-founded Housing.com. The company has emerged as one of the most promising start-ups in recent years, with investors betting big on it, pumping in $121 million in four funding rounds so far.

Venture capitalists hold about 70 per cent stake in the company. These include Japanese telecom giant SoftBank, Nexus Venture Partners, Helion Venture Partners, Falconedge, Haresh Chawla, former group chief executive officer of Network18 and Viacom18 Media, and Zishaan Hayath, co-founder of Toppr.com.