Mary Kom's ex-husband files defamation complaint against her
Mary Kom's ex-husband has filed a defamation complaint in Saket Court, alleging malicious statements were made during a TV interview.
Renowned boxing champion and Olympic medalist Mary Kom is facing legal action from her ex-husband following controversial remarks made during a television appearance. A defamation complaint has been filed against the sporting icon in Delhi's Saket Court, alleging that she made malicious and false statements intended to damage his reputation.
Allegations of Malicious Statements
The complaint, filed on October 6, is currently pending before the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Shivam Gupta. The legal proceedings are scheduled to be heard on November 19 for the examination of pre-summoning evidence. The complainant, Karong Onkholer, has moved the court through advocates Akash Krishna and Pragati Sharma.
According to the legal filings, the dispute stems from a television interview aired after the dissolution of their marriage. The complainant alleges that during the broadcast, which reaches millions of viewers across India, Kom made several damaging assertions regarding his character and professional life.
Contradicting Claims of Career and Character
A central point of the legal battle involves the professional standing of the complainant. The legal documents state that Onkholer sacrificed his own career and professional pursuits to support Mary Kom's rise as an international boxing champion. This directly contradicts statements allegedly made by Kom, which suggested that the complainant has no career and has never been gainfully employed.
The complaint further alleges that the statements made during the televised program were intended to harm Onkholer's reputation. The complainant asserts that a reasonable viewer would interpret her comments as labeling him as:
- Dishonest and unfaithful
- Unemployed and financially parasitic
- Alcohol dependent
- Someone who misappropriated money from her bank accounts
- A parent who has abandoned all responsibilities toward his children
Legal Framework of the Complaint
The complainant argues that these imputations severely lower his moral character, credit, and standing as both a spouse and a parent. The legal action has been brought under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The marriage between Mary Kom and Karong Onkholer, which began on March 12, 2005, and saw them residing together in Faridabad, was officially dissolved through customary practice on December 20, 2023.