Inspector General of Police G Lakshman was on Wednesday arrested by the Crime Branch on charges of conspiracy in a cheating case connected to controversial antiques dealer Monson Mavunkal. He was later released as the High Court had granted him interim bail. Lakshman is the fourth accused in the case. He was also questioned by the Crime Branch wing of the Kerala Police.
The senior police officer was summoned for questioning by the Crime Branch for the third time on Wednesday.
On the earlier two occasions, he had declined to appear citing medical reasons.
Subsequently, the Crime Branch moved the Kerala High Court seeking to cancel the interim bail granted to Lakshman in the case.
Crime Branch had claimed that the senior police officer was "trying to avoid" the probe in the case and "evading" appearance before the investigating officer by furnishing "inconsistent medical certificates".
The High Court, however, on August 18 extended the interim bail granted to him for three more weeks.
The IG is accused of various offences punishable under Sections 468 (forgery) and 420 (cheating) among other provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Mavunkal, who claims to be in possession of rare and historic antiques, was arrested in September 2021 by the district crime branch, which has been probing a case against him of cheating several people of Rs 10 crore.
As soon as he was arrested, photos of the accused with KPCC chief K Sudhakaran, senior IPS officials, top bureaucrats and many others were telecast in the mainstream media.
The complaint against Mavunkal was forwarded to the Ernakulam District Crime Branch from the Chief Minister's Office after six victims approached the Chief Minister.
Mavunkal had apparently borrowed the amount from various people, saying he was in need of funds to "clear procedures to obtain Rs 2,65,000 crore, a massive amount from his account in a foreign bank".
The antique dealer was recently sentenced to life imprisonment till the end of his natural life for repeatedly raping a girl a few years ago.
(With PTI inputs)
