Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM state secretary M V Govindan on Sunday said the crime branch will interrogate KPCC chief K Sudhakaran in the POCSO case against so-called dealer of fake antiques Monson Mavunkal.
However, the crime branch rubbished Govindan's claim and confirmed that the KPCC chief is booked only in the cheating case against Mavunkal.
“The child herself has confirmed Sudhakaran's presence at the place where she was sexually assaulted by Mavunkal. She noted that Sudhakaran didn't intervene to stop the crime. Based on this, the crime branch has stated that the KPCC chief will be questioned in the POCSO case along with the cheating case,” said M V Govindan addressing the media here on Sunday.
But the crime branch asserted that the girl didn't give any statement against Sudhakaran.
Govindan expressed satisfaction in the crime branch probe and verdict in the POCSO case against Mavunkal. He dismissed the opposition's claim that registering a case against Sudhakaran was politically motivated.
A Special POCSO court on Saturday sentenced Mavunkal to life imprisonment till the end of his natural life for repeatedly raping a minor girl a few years ago. The court said the convict does not deserve any leniency.
“Monson who was found guilty of sexually assaulting the girl has to serve three life terms and 35 years of rigorous imprisonment. He is booked in 16 cases,” added the CPM secretary.
POCSO case against Mavunkal
The case against Mavunkal is that he raped his maid's daughter on the false promise of providing her with financial assistance for education.
He had, however, argued that the rape cases were foisted upon him by the police to keep him in prison, as they were unable to find anything incriminating in the cheating cases against him that they were investigating.
The investigating officer, crime branch, deputy superintendent of police Y R Rustom, said there are a total of 16 cases, which include four rape cases against the convict.
"In another POCSO case, the trial will soon begin at Perumbavoor court. There are two other rape cases against him," Rustom told the media, adding that chargesheets were filed for all four cases within 60 days.
Mavunkal, from Cherthala, who claimed to have rare and historic antiques, was arrested by the crime branch wing of the Kerala police, which has been investigating a case against him about swindling Rs 10 crore from different people.
He was arrested on September 25, 2021, in connection with one of the cheating cases against him. He has been in jail since then and is now accused in around 10 cases.
(With PTI inputs)
