The Crime Branch (CB) probing the cheating cases against alleged fraudster Monson Mavunkal has recorded the statement of the State Police Chief (SPC) Anil Kant.
This was after an image of Monson handing over a gift to Mr. Kant circulated on social media shortly after the conman was arrested. Mr. Kant is learned to have explained that Monson was a member of a contingent from Pravasi Malayali Federation to have visited him shortly after he assumed office in July.
Monson reportedly tinkered with the snap and cropped out the images of others before circulating it on social media as a badge of his influence. The CB had already recorded the statements of former State Police Chief Loknath Behera, ADGP Manoj Abraham, and Inspector General of Police G. Lakshmana after the High Court made critical remarks about Monson’s alleged links with senior police officials.
Meanwhile, the investigation team on Tuesday took Monson to his residence at Kaloor for evidence collection in the case related to cheating one Santhosh Elamakkara from whom he had procured majority of the cheap knockoffs, which he exhibited as rare antiquities.
According to the complainant, who used to supply articles for film shooting, had supplied hundreds of articles valued at around ₹3 crore. The petitioner was also present during evidence collection and identified around 60 objects. The investigation team will now verify from where the objects were procured by the petitioner and whether they included stolen items. The evidence collection, which started around 11 a.m., lasted till around 3.30 p.m.
Monson now stands booked in nine different cases, including one registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which may go up further. Though his statement has been recorded in the POCSO case, his arrest on that case remains yet to be recorded. It is also being probed whether he is involved in more POCSO cases.
The investigation team is going at one case at a time and wants to probably seek his custody in all cases separately. His custody will be returned to court on Wednesday.
