How a Fake Antique Dealer Triggered a Row Between Congress & CPI(M) in Kerala

A political storm between Congress and CPI(M) is brewing in Kerala in connection with POCSO convict Monson Manunkal.

The alleged fake antiques dealer and a convict in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Monson Mavunkal has sparked a political row in Kerala.

(Image: Soundarya Athimuthu/ The Quint)

The sexual assault case against a fake antique dealer, Monson Mavunkal, has triggered a political controversy in Kerala. But what happened?

On Saturday, 17 June, the Ernakulam POCSO court in Kochi sentenced Mavunkal to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of repeatedly raping a 17-year-old girl.

The minor who was sexually abused by Mavunkal is the daughter of his former domestic help. A fine of Rs 5.25 lakh was imposed on the accused under various sections of the POCSO Act.

Who Is Monson Mavunkal, Sexual Assault Convict & Fake Antique Dealer?

Monson Mavunkal is a conman and alleged illegal antique dealer from Kerala.

He was arrested in September 2021, on charges of financial fraud as he was accused of cheating Rs 10 crore from different people in Kannur. According to police records, Mavunkal’s palatial residence that is partly converted into a museum, houses some of his 'precious' fake antiques – a throne said to have been used by Tipu Sultan, staff of Moses, silver coins claimed to have been given to Judas for betraying Jesus, a huge collection of old Qurans, Bibles, and old handwritten copies of the Bhagavad Gita, Gulfnews reported.

The sexual assault case against Mavunkal surfaced in October 2021 when he was already under the judicial custody in connection with the cheating case, The New Indian Express reported.

According to the prosecution, the survivor’s mother and brother were employed at Mavunkal’s firm. The abuser took advantage of the survivor's financial plight and pretended to offer help with her higher education. He then raped the girl while she was staying in his house at Vylopilly Lane and threatened her not to reveal the offence she was subject to. According to reports, when the survivor became pregnant in October 2019, following which Mavunkal had also forced her to abort the pregnancy and continued to sexually exploit her.

Ever since his arrest in 2021, Mavunkal is serving his jail term.

Why Has Monson’s Statements Initiated a Political Storm?

But why has a case pertaining to the alleged fake antiques dealer and a convict in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act raised a political storm in Kerala?

A day after Monson was sentenced for life imprisonment, on Sunday, CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan triggered a controversy when he cited the party's Malayalam mouthpiece Deshabhimani, to accuse KPCC president K Sudhakaran of being present at Monson Mavunkal's house while he sexually assaulted the minor girl. Govindan alleged that statement against the accused has been recorded by the survivor under Section 164 of CrPC.

However on Monday, Mavunkal alleged that the police forced him to link Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran with him in the sexual assault case. Mavunkal told the district court that two police officials compelled him to give the statement that Sudhakaran was present at the house when the alleged sexual offence took place and that he had given Rs 25 lakh to the KPCC president, The Hindu reported.

Political war erupted between Congress and CPI(M) with Sudhakaran dismissing Govindan's statement's as baseless claims. He also stated that it was a “political move” and condemned the levels to which CPI(M) would stoop, South First reported.

"This is an outright outlandish and defaming statement. The allegations have been made without any basis. How did MV Govindan access the confidential statement submitted by the minor given to the magistrate?"

Congress State Unit Chief, K Sudhakaran

“The evidence of the plot to concoct a false testimony against me will emerge in the public domain soon,” he said.