In a significant development, the Kerala High Court has granted anticipatory bail to K Sudhakaran, the state Congress chief, who is currently under investigation by the Crime Branch in a cheating case involving Monson Mavunkal, a controversial antique dealer. Last week, the court had provided interim relief to Sudhakaran, directing the police not to arrest him until the next hearing on June 21. “No coercive steps shall be taken against the petitioner till the next posting date. Post the matter on June 21,” stated the court.
Sudhakaran, in his defense, stated that he had scheduled meetings and consultations on the day he was asked to appear before the Crime Branch. Consequently, he submitted a request for an alternative date for his personal appearance. The Crime Branch decided to interrogate the KPCC president based on statements from complainants who claimed to have handed over money to Mavunkal in Sudhakaran’s presence, resulting in their financial losses.
Earlier, the agency had submitted an additional report naming Sudhakaran as an accused in the case. Sudhakaran had denied the allegations when they initially surfaced two years ago. The controversy surrounding this issue escalated politically as images of Sudhakaran with Mavunkal emerged. Sudhakaran had explained that his visit to Mavunkal’s residence was for treatment, as Mavunkal claimed to be a trained cosmetologist. Notably, several images showing Mavunkal alongside senior police officers and state bureaucrats have also come to light.
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