Mary Kom’s ex-husband, Karung Onkholer, also known as Onler, has strongly refuted the Olympic bronze medallist’s claims that she was deceived out of crores of rupees and lost land purchased with her own money. Onler has dismissed the allegations as false and instead claimed Mary was involved in extramarital affairs.
Onler asserted that the marital issues date back more than a decade. He claims that Mary Kom had an affair in 2013 with a junior boxer, causing significant conflicts between their families before a compromise was reached.
He further alleged that since 2017, she has been involved with someone associated with the Mary Kom Boxing Academy.
“I will talk about what she told Lok Adalat. Firstly, in 2013, she was having an affair with a junior boxer. Our families had a fight, and after that, we compromised. And since 2017, she’s been having a relationship (with someone) working at the Mary Kom Boxing Academy. I have their WhatsApp messages as proof. I have proof, with the name of the person with whom she was having an affair. I remained silent," Onler told news agency IANS.
Onler stated he does not object to Mary Kom moving on but strongly opposed being publicly blamed.
“She wanted to stay alone and have another relationship. We’re divorced. I don’t mind if she wants to have another husband. But don’t ever blame me. And if she’s to blame me, bring the proof; get the papers. I know where she lives and with whom," he added.
He questioned the claims of financial wrongdoing, saying his current living situation contradicts allegations that he possesses large sums of money. “She mentioned the property and asked my name to be erased. She said I stole 5 crores. Check my account.
“For 18 years of marriage, we were together. And then, this? She’s mad. I had been living with her for 18 years. What am I having? Look at my house. I’m staying in a rented house in Delhi. She’s a celeb. Whatever she says, some will listen, and some won’t."
Onler reiterated his challenge for documentary proof and explained his decision to remove his wedding ring. “I removed my wedding ring. Because she’s not trustworthy… She’s going to the Lok Adalat and saying I took a loan and stole property. If the property is in my name, then she’d have the documents, right? Let her bring those documents, and then we’ll speak.
“We got a customary divorce. Yet to go to court. I don’t want to fight in court because I love my children. What’s the point of speaking to national media and saying my husband is stealing money? What am I doing for her?
“Bring proofs for all the claims and prove if I have crores. Why are they blaming me for stealing money? She was talking about the loan worth crores I took during the election. What’s the proof? Money is being spent on elections. I borrowed money from my friends."
Onler said he supported Mary Kom through various phases of her career and personal life but felt deeply hurt by her accusations.
“I can forgive her, but I’ll never forget what she has done to me. I’m like use and throw for her. Who planted the seeds of her academy? Who registered? And now someone has become the chairman, whom I don’t want to name. What she’s done to me has hurt me… We have been in Delhi since 2013. My sons are in boarding school. Of course, she’s earning and paying the fees, but who has raised them?"
He also spoke emotionally about his children and allegations concerning his personal habits. “I want to visit my sons who are staying in a hostel. She said they’re her kids, but they’re my blood too. It’s about the relationship between husband and wife. Nobody is perfect. She said I consumed alcohol. So has she. She’s had vodka and rum, and she’s also eaten ‘gutka’. But I never disclosed these things to the media, who blamed me for drinking. Okay, I drink during parties."
Lastly, he also alleged that despite injuries before the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Mary Kom travelled to Mumbai and continued a relationship, claiming to have proof.
“She got injured during the 2022 Commonwealth Games but still went to Mumbai. I have proof with the name of the person with whom she was having a relationship. I remained silent."
Onler and Mary Kom married in 2005 and have four children. The two got divorced in 2023.
‘I’ve Gone Through A Nightmare’
The claims come days after Mary Kom accused Onler of cheating her out of crores and she lost possession of land bought with her own hard-earned money.
“He kept taking loans, mortgaging my property which he transferred in his name. He borrowed money from locals in Churachandpur and to recover it from him, they have seized the land through underground groups," Mary Kom told news agency PTI.
“Things were fine till I was competing and had very little involvement in my finances but when I got injured before the 2022 Commonwealth Games, I realised I was living a lie. “I was bed-ridden for several months, needed a walker after that. It was then that I realised that the man I had trusted was not what I believed him to be. I did not want it to be a spectacle for the world so I sought a divorce after several attempts to resolve it between us.
“I informed my family and his family that it cannot continue and they understood. I was hoping that it would stay private but then a concerted attempt has been made to slander me for the last one year. I thought I would not respond but then my silence was being misread and the attacks kept increasing," she recounted.
