The war of words between the petitioners against fake antiques dealer Monson Mavunkal and the police team probing the cases against him has turned shriller with the former set to approach the Kerala High Court with a plea to hand over the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Addressing a press conference here on March 19 (Tuesday), M.T. Shameer and Shanumon, who were among the six petitioners who had lodged a complaint against Monson of cheating them of ₹10 crore, sought to counter the accusations levelled against them by Crime Branch DySP and investigation officer Y.R. Rustom.
Mr. Rustom had on March 18 (Monday) told the media that of the ₹10 crore the complainants had allegedly paid to Monson, only ₹2.9 crore was made through bank while the remaining crore was given as hawala. He had also alleged that the petitioners had been pleading with him not to inform the Enforcement Directorate about it.
“We will be giving statement to the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday. If any of the petitioners had benefited from hawala proceedings, let the agency confiscate our assets and properties,” said Mr. Shameer.
Mr. Shanumon, who was among the first to meet Monson during 2016-17, alleged that the case stretches beyond Kerala to Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi and Nagaland with the directors of Monson’s fictitious companies being from outside Kerala. Now with the allegation of hawala money also being thrown in, the CBI will be the appropriate agency to probe the case, he said.
Mr. Shameer alleged that the investigation team was “reconstituted clandestinely” and a DIG at the Police Headquarters entrusted with looking into their accusations that the investigation was being sabotaged was also eased out of the assignment.
“Our petition was about a financial fraud, while it is now being deviated into sexual harassment and other charges. The then State Police Chief had directed to give police protection to the ‘priceless antiques’ kept at Monson’s house at Kaloor and Cherthala after another senior officer had expressed reservations about the genuineness of the so-called antiques and ordered a probe. Who sabotaged that probe? Efforts are being made to protect the senior police officers involved and officers who had taken money from Monson as proved by his account statements,” Mr. Shameer alleged.
