There are rumblings in the world of private equity (PE). The investors in the funds, known as limited partners (LPs) in trade parlance, have defaulted on their commitments to several PEs. At least four PE funds in India have been told by some of their major LPs that they would not chip in with the promised money. These PEs — which include big Indian VCs and offshore funds — are exploring legal recourse under terms laid down in the subscription agreement between them and LPs. It’s easier for an LP to back out if it has not yet invested in the fund pool. However, if it holds back investments after contributing a few tranches, the fund manager may freeze the money already invested. Indeed, a few funds ET spoke to did not rule out this possibility. One of the funds floated by an Indian financial services firm, which recently announced the completion of fund raising and even indicated a 25% return, has been told by two big US pension funds not to go ahead with the ‘draw down’. […]