IG Lakshman plays it safe, claims lawyer added remarks against CMO in plea.

Days after the Kerala Chief Minister’s Office controversy, IG G Lakshman refutes allegations in a letter to Chief Secretary V Venu. He claims his lawyer inserted remarks against the CMO in the cheating case petition involving fake antique dealer Monson Mavunkal. The media brought these remarks to his attention. The plea aimed to quash the FIR against him, alleging an extraordinary constitutional authority operating in the CMO, influencing court disputes and illegal activities. Fearing disciplinary action, Lakshman asked his lawyer to withdraw the petition, citing that he didn’t read it due to undergoing an ayurvedic treatment.

On July 29, the senior police official filed the plea in the High Court. Lakshman faces accusations under sections 468 and 420 of the IPC. He argues that his name wasn’t initially involved in the case or victims’ petitions before the Chief Minister. The crime was registered on September 23, 2021, and he was accused on June 14, 2023, without any incriminating material, leading to an alleged abuse of the legal process.