‘They are playing the caste card,’ says Krishnakumar, asserting his family doesn’t discriminate

Thiruvananthapuram: Actor-politician G Krishnakumar has demanded that the bank statements of employees at his daughter Diya Krishnakumar’s jewellery store be examined, in the wake of a high profile ‘financial fraud’ case centred around the firm. The controversy centres on Oh by Ozy, a jewellery boutique owned by Diya, following a complaint from employees that led to a police case against both Diya and Krishnakumar for alleged wrongful confinement.

Speaking to the media, Krishnakumar insisted that his family were, in fact, the complainants in the matter and alleged that once irregularities came to light, the accused resorted to playing the caste card. “All it takes to resolve this is a thorough examination of the employees' bank statements. They themselves have admitted to taking the money. Why aren’t the police investigating this?” he asked.

He further claimed that while the police system as a whole functions correctly, certain individual officers may be acting with personal bias. “There was a lapse from one police officer, perhaps due to his differing political views. Religion and caste should not interfere with justice. When in uniform, a police officer must act impartially,” he said.

Krishnakumar, who contested elections from Valiyathura, a coastal constituency with a significant fishing community, emphasised that his children never hired employees based on caste or religion. “We’ve never discriminated—whether in our family marriages or in employment. Our values are secular, and our choices reflect that,” he asserted.

The controversy erupted on Saturday when a case was registered against Krishnakumar and Diya based on the staff’s complaint. The dispute has since escalated, with both parties levelling accusations against each other.

Brewing controversy

Diya Krishnakumar, a social media influencer and entrepreneur, has denied allegations that she and her father abducted and coerced former employees into handing over ₹5 lakh. Diya insists the employees voluntarily visited her residence to resolve the matter and had themselves admitted to wrongdoing during a family discussion.

Diya accused the employees of defrauding her business by diverting customer payments via manipulated QR codes, leading to losses estimated at ₹69 lakh. “They asked me not to go public and begged that I do not inform my father,” she said. Diya questioned how the accused managed to arrange money so quickly if they were innocent and claimed their husbands pleaded for anonymity to avoid further legal trouble.

The employees have since filed a counter-complaint, alleging they were forcibly taken to another location, threatened with fabricated theft charges, and recorded without consent. The Museum Police in Thiruvananthapuram have now registered two separate cases: one against the employees for financial fraud, and the other against Diya and Krishnakumar for alleged abduction and extortion.

The case, now under legal scrutiny, continues to draw significant public and media attention, with both parties sticking firmly to their version of events.