KOCHI: In a surprise twist in the high-profile Monson Mavunkal case, the crime branch team has claimed that Inspector General of Police (IG) G Lakshman, the fourth accused in the case, played the role of a key conspirator in the financial fraud. “During the investigation, the role of Lakshman was revealed as a conspirator and an offence under section 120 (B) is made out,” the Crime Branch stated before the Kerala High Court. The claim comes as IG Lakshman faces allegations after making accusations against the chief minister’s office in his petition to dismiss the case against him.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Y R Restem of the Crime Branch, Ernakulam, made the claim in a petition seeking to revoke the interim bail granted to Lakshman. The prosecution outlined that the primary accused, with the intent to deceive, fabricated a false HSBC Bank account statement and presented it to the complainant and his associates, convincing them that he was about to receive Rs 2.62 lakh crore.
Subsequently, they solicited financial assistance, promising to repay the money, and managed to collect a sum of Rs 10 Crores from June 2017 to November 2020. However, the accused did not return the borrowed amount, effectively deceiving the complainant and five others. The Crime Branch stated in the petition that despite issuing notices to Lakshman to appear for questioning, he evaded the process on the grounds of medical reasons. The evidence collected links the officer to the crime, and his reluctance to cooperate raises suspicions.
The petition contends that two inconsistent medical certificates provided by him raise doubts about the legitimacy of his claims and suggest potential misuse of his position as an IPS officer and IGP. The reasons cited by the officer for evading questioning lack credibility and appear designed to evade scrutiny.
As a result, the petitioner should not be entitled to the benefits of the interim order. The interim bail had been granted with the stipulation that he should actively cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
Upon reviewing both medical certificates submitted by the petitioner, it became evident that the treatment details provided by two different doctors, one from Maranelloor Ayurveda Dispensary and the other from Ayurveda Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, were inconsistent. The presence of these inconsistent medical certificates raises reasonable suspicion that their acquisition was influenced by his position as an IPS officer, without any valid justification, as stated in the petition.