Kochi: Monson Mavunkal, a so-called dealer of fake antiques, recently convicted and sentenced to life in prison by a court for sexually assaulting a minor, raised grave allegations against Rustom, a deputy superintendent of police (DySP) with the Crime Branch.
According to Monson, Rustom had asked him to testify against K Sudhakaran, president of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), confirming that the state Congress chief was present when the abuse of the minor took place.
Monson alleged that the DySP threatened to harm his wife and children if such a statement was not given. The police officer also humiliated his family, Monson told a court here on Monday.
Monson informed the court that Rustom had remarked that his wife and children were now slaves, their fates similar to families of kings who are reduced to penury when their power is lost.
Incidentally, Rustom had investigated the case registered under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act against Monson. Monson deposed against Rustom when he was presented before the court during a hearing which took place as a video conference.
Just days ago, it was Rustom himself who had taken Monson to jail after he was sentenced in the POCSO case. “On the way, we stopped at a petrol pump near the Crime Branch office at Kalamassery and Rustom asked me to testify against Sudhakaran. He spoke to me in an insulting and threatening manner. The DySP also compelled me to state that Sudhakaran had collected Rs 25 lakh from me,” Monson told the court.
Monson also said that two other policemen who had accompanied him from the jail were witness to this incident.
Responding to Monson’s allegations, the court directed him to file a complaint.
M V Govindan, the state secretary of the CPM – the ruling party in Kerala – had on Sunday claimed that Sudhakaran was summoned by the Crime Branch in the POCSO case. He also claimed that the survivor of the incident had said that Sudhakaran was present when the abuse took place. However, the Crime Branch refuted Govindan’s statement and said that it had summoned the Congress leader in a cheating case involving Monson. Crime Branch officers also said that the POCSO case survivor had not given any statement against Sudhakaran.
