Kerala IG Lakshman moves HC seeking to quash FIR against him in Monson Mavunkal case

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Kerala Inspector General of Police G Lakshman moved the high court on Saturday, seeking to quash an FIR registered against him in a cheating case connected to controversial antique dealer Monson Mavunkal. In his plea, the senior police official claimed that he was arrayed as an accused without any incriminating evidence.

Lakshman also claimed that there was an extraordinary constitutional authority functioning in the Chief Minister's Office who deals with compromising, mediating and arbitrating some of the financial dealings in Kerala.

"Even the disputes sent by the Hon'ble court to various arbitrators were resolved by that authority. That invisible hands and extra constitutional brain is operating behind the curtain and commanding the 2nd respondent (investigating officer in Monson Mavunkal case) for doing this kind of illegal activities," the plea said.

The IG is an accused in various offences punishable under sections 468 (forgery) and 420 (cheating) among other provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Lakshman claimed that his name was not there in the initial case or the petitions filed before the chief minister by the victims in the case.

He added that the crime was registered on September 23, 2021 and he was implicated as the third accused on June 14, 2023. "Arraying the petitioner as an accused after 22 months of the registration of the crime without a piece of incriminating material is nothing but abuse of process of law," Lakshman said.

Cherthala native Mavunkal, who claims to be in possession of rare and historic antiques, was arrested in September 2021 by the district crime branch, which has been probing a case against him of cheating several people of Rs 10 crore. As soon as he was arrested, photos of the accused with KPCC chief Sudhakaran, senior IPS officials, senior bureaucrats and many others were telecast in the mainstream media.

The complaint against Mavunkal was forwarded to the Ernakulam District Crime Branch from the Chief Minister's Office after six victims approached the chief minister. Mavunkal had apparently borrowed the amount 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". The antique dealer was recently sentenced to life imprisonment till the end of his natural life for repeatedly raping a minor girl a few years ago.

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