A defamation case has been registered against a famous director and a former magazine editor for uploading a video on Kalyan Jewellers on YouTube channel. Prominent feature film director VA Shrikumar Menon and Mathew Samuel were booked after Thrissur-based Kalyan Jewellers complained that they posted fake news through a YouTube channel RedPix 24x7, owned by Samuel.
The duo had claimed that Kalyan Jewellers would be the next Nirav Modi from Kerala as they had taken Rs 10,000 crore loan, mainly from State Bank of India. Both of them have been booked under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 500 (defamation) and 469 (forgery to harm reputation).
The chief general manager of Kalyan Jewellers, KT Shaiju, filed the case against Menon and Samuel with the Thrissur West Police. "The video was produced and uploaded to shatter the public trust on Kalyan Jewellers. Earlier, Kalyan Jewellers has given the contract of ad films to Shrikumar Menon. But at present, Kalyan jewellers has not issued any advertisement contract to him. Hence, it is suspected that Shrikumar Menon tried to take revenge on Kalyan Jewellers by producing the video along with Mathew Samuel," noted the complaint, reports Mathrubhumi.
However, Menon has denied claims of having any role in the fake news being spread online. I myself came to know of all these through media reports...If I receive any official intimation in this regard, I will face it legally," he said, reports The New Indian Express.
Shrikumar Menon directed the Mohanlal starrer 'Odiyan' and also several advertisements for Kalyan Jewellers, including their tagline "vishwasam athalle ellaam" (meaning 'trust is everything') and Mathew Samuel is a former editor of Tehelka magazine, which is famous for its investigative journalism and sting operations.
