A Crime Branch team probing a case relating to the swindling of approximately ₹10 crore from different people arrested Cherthala native Monson Mavunkal, who claimed to be in possession of rare and historic antiques, following a raid at his house in Kaloor on Sunday.
He was reported to have hoodwinked people by saying that a museum attached to his house had rare, centuries-old antiques. Unconfirmed reports say most of what was passed off as antiques were recently-crafted items, made by carpenters and others from within the State.
Mavunkal reportedly borrowed huge amounts as cash from others saying he was in urgent need of funds to clear procedures to obtain a massive amount of money from his account.
He is said to have given the assurance that he would lend them much more, without charging interest, following which a few people lent him money. Sunday's raid was following a complaint they registered before the police. He had reportedly claimed that his rare collection of antiques included a throne of Tipu Sultan.
The police were in for a surprise on finding that it was made by a carpenter from Cherthala. His other claims included that he was in possession of the staff of Moses and a few of the silver pieces that Judas Iscariot got for betraying Jesus Christ, it is learnt.
Following interrogation, he is said to have confessed that many of the antique items were a replica of their original pieces.
