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Central probe in Mavunkal cases not needed, SIT tells Kerala high court
The affidavit said that no complaint was raised against the ongoing SIT probe, and all complainants are satisfied with its quick action in the Mavunkal case.
The Kerala police special investigation team (SIT) probing the cheating and sexual assault cases against self-styled antique collector Monson Mavunkal on Monday filed an affidavit in the state high court saying that the investigation is on the right track, and there is no need for intervention from the central agencies.
SIT chief S Sreejith filed the affidavit on behalf of state director general of police Anil Kant. “The over-enthusiasm shown by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) through its counsel cannot be viewed lightly. The posture of the ED in the recent past against the state government in certain cases is against the basic tenets of the federal system. Hence the statement of the ED counsel that the CBI may have to step in has to be viewed as a motivated one,” the affidavit said.
The affidavit also said that no complaint was raised against the ongoing SIT probe, and all complainants are satisfied with its quick action in the case. The ED, against which the state fought a legal battle in the gold smuggling case, pushed for a CBI probe as many senior state police officers were allegedly close to Mavunkal.
While hearing the petition of Mavunkal’s former driver earlier, the court had pulled up senior police officials and wondered how such a man got their patronage and support. “There could not be any cover-up in the investigation into the cases registered against self-styled antique collector Monson Mavunkal, merely because some of the high-ranking officials are allegedly involved,” the court observed on November 11. Inspector-General of Police A Lakshmana was suspended last month over his alleged liaison with the conman.
Mavunkal is now facing eight cheating cases, and a case under the protection of children from sexual offences act for allegedly raping the daughter of his former employee. He was arrested on September 26 after five businessmen complained to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan of being cheated of ₹10 crore. Later many other businessmen also filed cheating complaints against him. A rape survivor also alleged Mavunkal forced her to withdraw the complaint against her tormentor.
On Sunday, the state archaeology department said 35 of his main collections including Tipu Sultan’s throne were fake and had no antique value attached to them.
