Who is Boby Chemmanur? All about Kerala businessman linked to actress Honey Rose 'sexual harassment' case

Kerala-based Boby Chemmanur was taken into custody on Wednesday following a sexual harassment complaint. He was booked under non-bailable sections of the BNS and IT act after Malayalam actress Honey Rose approached the police. Meanwhile the prominent jeweller has rejected the allegations and claims that he did not make “repeated sexually coloured” comments.

"She attended two of my inauguration events. We danced... I used to tell jokes. She seemed to have no issue with those things. And now she lodged a complaint against me after months," the businessman said.

The allegations were first shared in a Facebook post and prompted a SIT investigation into the matter. Chemmanur was taken into custody on Wednesday afternoon from Kalpetta in Wayanad. He is expected to be brought to Kochi for further investigation.

Who is Boby Chemmanur?

The Kerala-based businessman is the director of Chemmanur International Jewellers, the owner of Oxygen Resorts, and a prominent public figure in the state. Details shared on his website also lists Chemmanur as the founder of Life Vision Charitable Trust.

He made waves in 2012 after signing football legend Diego Maradona as a brand ambassador and bringing him to Kannur. More recently he ran 812 km across Kerala to raise awareness about blood donations — entering several world record books in the process. Chemmanur received the Ambassador for Peace award from the Universal Peace Foundation in 2016.

Chemmanur has an extensive collection of luxury cars — including a Rolls Royce Phantom VII ‘taxi’ that had gone viral in Kerala. According to reports, he rents out the gold wrapped Rolls-Royce Phantom VII as part of a ₹25,000 package that also included pick-up and drop services and a stay in his resort for two days. He had also made headlines in 2021 after bidding on a Rolls-Royce Phantom car that was once used by US President-elect Donald Trump.

(With inputs from agencies)