Nileena Atholi, a journalist working with the Kozhikode unit of Mathrubhumi Daily in Kerala has filed a police complaint against her former colleague for landing her in financial distress by not repaying his loan for which she was a guarantor. VB Unnithan, a former journalist with Mathrubhumi Daily, had availed a loan from Mathrubhumi Press Employees Co-Operative Multi-Purpose Society in May 2019. As per the complaint, The Society gives loan to Mathrubhumi employees with co-workers as guarantors. Nileena filed the complaint with Kozhikode City Police Commissioner AV George on Tuesday, March 15.
Mathrubhumi is a media giant in Kerala that runs various publications and a television channel. Unnithan, who used to work at various units of the Kollam of Mathrubhumi, stepped down in January 2020.
“The Society gives loans to employees by guarantee of one another. The Society stands on the faith that members have for one another. I became guarantor for Unnithan because of this faith, after he requested [for the same] on a phone call. I knew him through [his] bylines only, I didn’t know him personally,” Nileena's complaint read. Two other journalists of Mathrubhumi, Neenu Mohan and Baiju, were also guarantors in two separate loans that Unnithan had taken from the Society. Neenu Mohan has also alleged that Unnithan he has not repaid the loan in which she was the guarantor.
"Unnithan had availed Rs 6,22,980 from the Society through four separate loans. He resigned from Mathrubhumi when debt from the loans was Rs 6.5 lakh, and I came to know about his resignation after he defaulted“ the complaint read.
Speaking to TNM, Neelina said that she came to know about Unni’s resignation after he defaulted. "Mathrubhumi is a big media house and hence it’s not always possible to know if someone working in a different unit quits. When I called Unnithan to ask him to repay the loan, he would talk as though I was the defaulter and he was the guarantor. He had even told me not to bother him again,” she said.
Nileena’s complaint read that out of the 120 monthly installments of the loan, Unnithan had paid only nine EMIs. She alleged in the complaint that it’s to be suspected that his intention was to put the guarantors in trouble without repaying the loan as evident from his resignation.
Neenu Mohan, a staff correspondent with Mathrubhumi, shared a Facebook post alleging that she has also been cheated by Unnithan in the same way. The women have spoken publicly against him after the launch of a magazine of which Unnithan is the editor. The magazine launch was held at Press Club, Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, March 14, in which prominent politicians from various parties were present.
Neenu, in the post, also alleged that she had made several calls to him with regard to the loan. "But the response was not good. He even told me not to call him again with regard to that," Neenu's Mohan's post read.
As per the post she was a guarantor for two loans and has a financial burden of Rs 2,99,662 from both. Nileena has also put up a Facebook post.
"It has been two years since he took the loan. I didn't want to share on social media about it. but since he has launched a media firm which claims to be on the part of truth and rightness, I thought it would be inevitable to share something. In the past two years he has not made any attempt to repay any money or to address the apprehensions of the guarantors. He had also stopped picking the calls and shown highly irresponsible behavior," her post, on March 14, read.
Meanwhile, Unnithan, shared his reaction to the allegations, through a post on Facebook on March 14. Unnithan said that he doesn't have money, and he will repay the loans if the magazine does well. He also accused Mathrubhumi of “owing” him lakhs of rupees. This however does not tally with the media company’s version from 2020, after Unnithan resigned.
Unnithan was physically assaulted by a group of people in April 2011 when he was working at Mathrubhumi Kollam unit. The attack was allegedly conspired by a police officer after Unnithan's news stories about him. In his Facebook post, Unnithan alleged that Mathrubhumi had not backed him while he resumed work after treatment for the attack. He added that he had to step down from the organisation for he was assigned to night shift which he was not able to do because of the health condition after the attack.
"It was Mathrubhumi that cheated me," the post read. "Mathrubhumi gave me Rs 3.5 lakh as gratuity and PF amount, but didn't give medical expenses which was above Rs 10 lakh. Mathrubhumi is obliged to bear my medical expenses till the end of my life as I was attacked while working in Mathrubhumi and for which I have to continue treatment. The Society is attached to Mathrubhumi, not functioning outside it. It was Mathrubhumi that forced me to resign and it was Mathrubhumi that cheated you (the guarantors)" the post read.
It further read, "Mathrubhumi owes me crores as treatment expenses. If Mathrubhumi paid 1% of what they owe me, the loan amount could have been repaid. I will repay your (the guarantors’) money if the magazine does well. Now, I don't have any income," his post read.
Mathrubhumi states in its letter from November 2020, which TNM has accessed, that it paid Unnithan around Rs 1.24 lakh for his treatment. "The management paid an amount of Rs 1,24,596 as treatment expense to Padmavati Medical Foundation (where Unnithan had undergone treatment) for your treatment as a special case. Further, on the basis of your requests, the management has granted special leave to you for undergoing treatment and transport facility during that period for your travel from your residence to office and back. You were also promoted as Senior Reporter with effect from July 2011. Management has, after taking into account the vacancies, considered your requests for transfers to a convenient place of posting from time to time," the letter read.
The company also said it had paid Unnithan the balance amount in his Provident Fund account, amounting to Rs 4,96,558. "Similarly, you have also received full and final settlement of your gratuity for Rs 3,60,439," the letter read.