KOCHI: Anitha Pullayil, whose name cropped up in the controversy connected to the scams of conman Monson Mavunkal, was questioned by crime branch (CB) twice in the past one week. She was questioned in a case that was filed against her for allegedly revealing the name of the survivor in the Pocso case against Mavunkal and the cheating case against Mavunkal.
CB sources said she was issued summons in two cases and had appeared for questioning at Kalamassery and Tripunithura offices. Sources said in one of the two cases, she was the sole accused as she was booked for revealing the name of the survivor in a Pocso case.
She was let off after questioning. She reportedly claimed that she didn’t know that the survivor was the complainant in the case when she revealed her name. CB sources said that in the cheating case against Mavunkal, she was summoned as a witness and her statements were recorded.
Sources added that investigators are presently maintaining that her arrest wasn’t necessary in the first case. A CB special team probing the cases against Mavunkal had earlier recorded her statement online when she was in Italy last year.
Meanwhile, Mavunkal was interrogated by enforcement directorate (ED) a few weeks ago. ED sleuths had reportedly visited Viyyur central prison where he was lodged and questioned him multiple times. Sources said he was recently questioned for two days and after a gap of two weeks, he was questioned again for another two days.
Mavunkal is facing 16 cases, including three for sexual assault. The Pocso Act was invoked in two of three sexual offence cases. Mavunkal, who was arrested for the first time in September 2021, was granted bail in 13 financial fraud cases.
The special court for considering atrocities against women and children had recently dismissed his bail petition even after the witness examination of the survivor was completed.
Mavunkal was initially arrested based on a complaint filed by six persons that he had allegedly duped them after taking Rs 10 crore. He had gained their trust by sharing a fake bank account statement with them. Pullayil’s name was mentioned in the initial complaint filed to the CM by the six persons and they had stated in the complaint that the woman– a member of Loka Kerala Sabha and a resident of Italy –had contacted them over the phone and said Mavunkal’s claims were false.
