Can we face legal consequences for unpaid intern salaries and contracts?

Hello Sir, I am in a difficult situation. My friend and I were offered a three-month contract as CTO and CEO. The contract stated that 5-10 interns would be funded by the founders, and our performance would determine further decisions, including potential equity. Initially, we hired three interns with salaries of ₹10,000, ₹5,000, and ₹5,000. The founders paid ₹25,000 to the CTO and ₹20,000 to the interns, but later withheld payments, citing unsatisfactory progress. After a month, the CTO hired four more interns without CC'ing the founders, assuming he could pay them once his salary was received. However, he didn’t receive his ₹25,000, and the new interns were left unpaid. In the final month, the original interns also didn’t receive their payments. Despite this, we continued working on the website, app, and other components in the company’s best interest. Could we face any legal consequences? Please guide us.