Kerala fake antique collector Mavunkal booked for raping minor

Mavunkal was arrested on September 26 after five businessmen complained to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan that he cheated them of ₹10 crore

Monson Mavunkal, who was arrested last month for selling fake artefacts and alleged cheating, was on Tuesday booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act for allegedly raping the daughter of one of his employees two years ago.

Many top police officers were reportedly close to Mavunkal, who used deceit to dupe people and rubbed shoulders with the who’s who of the state (HT Photos)

Police said Mavunkal allegedly lured her by promising help for her education and sexually assaulted her a couple of times. In her complaint, the mother of the teenager said her daughter was sexually assaulted while she was 17 and was scared to approach the police. Since the woman was a minor at the time of the alleged assault in 2019, police booked Mavunkal under the Pocso Act. The case has been transferred to the special investigation team (SIT) probing cases against Mavunkal.

“When we asked why they delayed the complaint, they said they were really scared and mustered enough courage after his arrest,” an investigator said, requesting anonymity.

Many top police officers were reportedly close to Mavunkal, who used deceit to dupe people and rubbed shoulders with the who’s who of the state.

Mavunkal was arrested on September 26 after five businessmen complained to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan that he cheated them of ₹10 crore by promising shares in the upcoming international antique museums in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. Later, other businessmen filed cheating complaints against him. A rape survivor also alleged Mavunkal threatened her to withdraw the complaint against her tormentor.

The government constituted the SIT, which last week recorded the statement of Italy-based Malayali woman Anitha Pullayil, who reportedly introduced many senior police officers to Mavunkal . He allegedly used his connections with the officers to cheat and intimidate gullible antique buyers. After cheating cases surfaced against Mavunkal, Pullayil told news channels she advised many allegedly conned by him to approach the police. Pullayil added she was unaware of the shady deals of Mavunkal and stayed away from him after she got an inkling regarding some of them.

Details of cover-up and laxity came to light after Mavunkal’s arrest. Many police officers regularly visited his house, museum and a cosmetology clinic in Kochi that he ran on the basis of a fake degree.