India News | Cong in Backfoot After Images of Arrested Antique Dealer with KPCC Chief Surfaces
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Kochi/ A high profile cheating case involving an antique dealer has landed the Congress in an embarrassing situation, with one of the complainants alleging that they handed over the money to the accused in the presence of KPCC chief K Sudhakaran, a charge strongly rejected by the leader.
Kochi/Kannur, Sep 27 (PTI) A high profile cheating case involving an antique dealer has landed the Congress in an embarrassing situation, with one of the complainants alleging that they handed over the money to the accused in the presence of KPCC chief K Sudhakaran, a charge strongly rejected by the leader.
Adding to their discomfiture, visuals surfaced on news channels today in which top police officers and bureaucrats are purportedly seen with the arrested man at his residence.
Strongly rejecting the allegation, Sudhakaran said though he had visited the house of the accused, Monson Mavunkal, who claimed to be a doctor, a couple of times for treatment, he has no idea about those levelling the charges.
Alleging a conspiracy, the Kannur MP claimed that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office was behind the plot to target him politically in the state.
The Chief Minister's Office has so far not reacted to Sudhakaran's allegations.
Mavunkal was nabbed by the Crime Branch wing of Kerala police from his residence at Cherthala in Alappuzha district on Sunday on the basis of complaints by various people.
The victims claimed that they lost Rs 10 crore in their dealings with Mavunkal, who allegedly earned their trust using his "high profile" contacts, including senior politicians like Sudhakaran, top IPS officers and bureaucrats including a retired chief secretary-rank official.
"I am sure that some people with vested interests are behind this controversy. The complainant himself has said that he received calls from the Chief Minister's Office multiple times. Why would the CM's office call him?" Sudhakaran asked.
The victim had earlier told the media that he had received follow up calls from the CMO on his complaint.
Many photos purportedly showing Mavunkal with Sudhakaran, a former state police chief, a serving ADGP in the state police, a former chief secretary and IAS officer, a former DIG and many others were telecast today in the mainstream media.
"I know him as a doctor. I have visited him as part of a treatment. There was nothing suspicious about him at that time. No dealings were made in my presence," Sudhakaran told the media.
After Sudhakaran denied the charges, the complainant, along with other victims, called a press meet and showed "pictures" of Sudhakaran with him and Mavunkal.
The complaint against Mavunkal was forwarded to the Ernakulam District Crime Branch from the CMO after six victims approached the Chief Minister last week, seeking a probe.
According to the crime branch officials, Mavunkal had allegedly borrowed huge amounts of money from various people, saying he was in need of funds to "clear procedures to obtain Rs 2,65,000 crore, a massive amount, from his account" in a foreign bank.
However, there is no such bank account, the Crime Branch has said.
Meanwhile, the Crime Branch on Monday moved a plea in a court here, seeking custody of the accused for further interrogation. Mavunkal has also filed a plea, seeking bail.
The court is expected to take a decision on the pleas tomorrow.
The crime branch had on Sunday raided a place under Mavunkal's ownership, which he calls "a museum" containing his "collection of antiques".
The raid followed a statement given by the complainants that he was awaiting funds from the sale of his "antique" collections.
He allegedly convinced them that he has a collection of valuable items, including a throne used by Tipu Sultan, the staff of Moses and the silver coins Judas received for betraying Jesus, among many others.
The Crime Branch said during the inspection, it was found that many of the expensive "antiques" were actually replicas of originals, but there were a few antiques which were not that expensive.
"Upon our inspection, it was found that many expensive antiques are models made by a carpenter from Thiruvananthapuram," a Crime Branch official said.
However, since there were no complaints in that regard, police or the crime branch did not initiate any action, he said.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)