The controversy surrounding Mary Kom’s marriage and 2023 divorce involves serious, conflicting allegations of financial fraud and extramarital affairs from both her and her former husband, Karung Onkholer (Onler).
The dispute, previously private, became public after Mary Kom’s remarks on Aap Ki Adalat, where she questioned her ex-husband’s contribution to their marriage, alleging that he “had not earned a single penny” and cheated her out of crores.
The former couple, who were married for two decades and share four children, have traded sharp accusations against each other.
In an interview, Mary Kom alleged that her husband committed significant financial misconduct.
She claimed he took loans in her name, mortgaged her properties without consent, transferred assets to his name, and essentially “cheated” her out of crores of rupees she earned through boxing.
She also publicly questioned his professional contributions, stating he “didn’t earn a single penny” during their marriage.
Onler Kom, a former footballer and lawyer who is now in a rented house in Delhi, has strongly denied all financial allegations and demanded documentary proof.
He has counter-accused Mary Kom of having extramarital affairs on two separate occasions. Once with a junior boxer in 2013, and another time since 2017 with someone associated with the Mary Kom Boxing Academy.
He claims to possess WhatsApp messages as evidence but chose to remain silent for years to protect his family and her public image.
Current Status
The divorce was finalized under customary law in December 2023.
Mary Kom has denied the affair allegations, and no independent verification of the claims from either side has been made public through formal legal channels.
The public airing of these private grievances has led to widespread social media debate about privacy, gender roles, and celebrity disputes.
