KOCHI: While the Crime Branch probe has estimated that the self-styled antique dealer Monson Mavunkal had duped various persons of nearly Rs 25 crore in the past four years, sleuths have not yet identified the trail of his funds. They suspect the conman might have been dealing in liquid cash to hide his tracks. According to officials privy to the investigation, Monson has told interrogators that he has spent all his money by leading a luxurious life and organising parties in star hotels.
But the Crime Branch team is not ready to accept his version and suspects he had diverted funds to his associates’ names. Meanwhile, one more case has been registered against Monson for cheating after one Santhosh approached the police with a claim that he had supplied all the fake antique items to Monson and that he is yet to receive payments for them.
Officials said though Monson claimed to be the owner of many firms like Cosmos Group, Kalinga Kalyan Foundation and Monson Edition, the probe team has not found any document pertaining to these companies.“As per our inputs, he has sponsored or supported many events and programmes for which the payments were made in liquid cash,” said an intelligence officer. The probe team is preparing a list of events Monson reportedly had associated with.
Officials said they will prepare a list of suspects whose bank accounts need to be verified as part of the probe into Monson’s dealings. “As per the preliminary probe, the money which was deposited into the accounts of his driver and close-aide was withdrawn from the banks in cash. He seemed to have made a lot of transactions in cash. He has not given us any name,” said an officer. Meanwhile, it’s learnt that Monson has borrowed lakhs of rupees from several other persons but many are not coming out fearing probe by police and be labelled as a friend or associate of Monson.
‘POLICE TOP BRASS LEAKED FILES TO MEDIA’
T’Puram: Three important files containing confidential intelligence information received from the state police headquarters relating to Monson Mavunkal were leaked to the media by police top brass, social activist Payichira Navas alleged on Monday. He urged the state government to institute a judicial inquiry into the leak. In the complaints he submitted to the Governor, the chief minister and the state police chief, Navas alleged that three files from Section T, the top secret section of the police, were leaked to the media on September 27 to save the faces of some tainted and high-ranking police officers and to discredit the home department. “The files were leaked with the knowledge of some higher-ups at the police headquarters and those in charge of the section,” said Navas.