The Malabar Gold and Diamonds today announced that a former employee was arrested by the Dubai Police for posting forged images, as part of a malicious campaign against them. The jewellery retailer was recently at the centre of a controversy when a photograph surfaced online, showing its directors celebrating Pakistan’s Independence Day by cutting a cake.

The arrested person was identified as Bineesh Ponankal Arumoghan, a former employee, hailing from Thrissur in Kerala.

The company had filed a complaint with the Dubai Police over the forged image that was being circulated in the social media, based on which the cyber wing of the Dubai Police tracked Bineesh down. It was Bineesh who first shared the forged image through Facebook in Dubai, the company’s press statement said.

“In an official communication sent to the Malabar Gold & Diamonds, the Dubai Police confirmed that the arrested person has confessed that he manipulated the images to damage the brand Malabar Gold & Diamonds. Bineesh posted the image and urged public to boycott Malabar Gold & Diamonds, which resulted in major negative campaigns against the brand. But, with his arrest, the conspiracy behind the attack against the brand has been exposed,” the statement read.

The company claimed that a campaign was on to malign the brand, by deliberately spreading across the social media, a photograph in which a Pakistan national flag engraved cake is being cut, alleging that the same was done by Malabar Gold and Diamonds. The company clarified that the celebration was held at another money exchange company in the Middle East, and that their logo was clearly visible in the background.

“Some of the local organizations, including Hindu outfits, were misled by the fake image and are organizing protest campaigns against the company,” it said.