Malayalam film director Shrikumar Menon arrested on financial fraud case

By Express News Service

ALAPPUZHA: Police have arrested Malayalam film director Shrikumar Menon in connection with a financial fraud case filed by the owners of Sree Valsam Group of Companies located at Amabalappuzha, Alappuzha.

Alappuzha South police said that he was arrested from his house at Palakkad late evening on Thursday.

The owners of the company filed a complaint in which it was alleged that Menon collected around Rs 2 crore for producing a film. He had also provided the date of repayment and other documents for returning the money two years ago. But he failed to repay the amount. Later he kept on giving other dates in the future to return the money, but he failed to keep his assurance on those dates too, they said.

The owners filed the complaint following the repeated failures to return the money, said the police.

An officer said that the exact amount he borrowed and other details could be divulged only after taking a detailed statement from Menon.

He will be produced in the court by evening, the officer said.

Menon, an advertisement creator, directed the Malayalam film ‘Odiyan’ starring Mohanlal and Manju Warrier. After the release of the film, Manju filed a petition with the DGP stating that Menon had tried to defame her through social media. She had also alleged that the letterpad of ‘Manju Warrier Foundation’ and blank cheques she had signed have been misused by Menon.

Police had arrested Menon in December 2019 based on the complaint. He was later released on bail.