KOCHI: A 28-year-old former employee has lodged a complaint against the CEO and staff of a consultancy firm in Kochi, alleging workplace harassment, assault and financial fraud.
Sujith, a native of Attingal and former employee of Empire Overseas Education, Pallimukku, claimed he was wrongfully detained, assaulted and intimidated by CEO Nithin Nover, manager Razeem Hamza and staff member Mano.
Sujith alleged the accused persons forcibly took him to a flat, assaulted him and seized his mobile phones, laptops and credit cards. He was allegedly coerced into transferring Rs 1.79 lakh, handing over Rs 20 lakh in total, surrendering his car and signing over two properties. He also claimed they forced him to provide blank cheques and ID proofs of his family members.
Sujith, who worked at the firm’s Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam branches from 2018 to 2024, also alleged it misappropriated Rs 1.02 crore while he was employed there. He also claimed the CEO forced him and others to use narcotics.
Supporting Sujith’s claims, Nithin’s childhood friend Bijo, too, alleged long-term drug use and claimed another female employee had filed a workplace harassment complaint against the CEO.
Empire Overseas denied all the charges, calling the complaint false and malicious.