The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief K Sudhakaran was arrested on Friday, June 23, in connection to the fraud case related to fake antique dealer Monson Mavunkal. The development comes after Sudhakaran was questioned by the police for nearly seven hours in the graft case.
He was later released on bail as he had obtained an interim anticipatory bail order from the Kerala High Court.
The Crime Branch police had lodged a case of cheating against K Sudhakaran on June 12. The complaint against Sudhakaran alleged that in 2018, during a visit to the Kochi office of the imprisoned counterfeit antique dealer, Monson Mavunkal, a person named Anoop had handed over Rs 25 lakhs to Mavunkal in the presence of Sudhakaran. He has also been accused of accepting Rs 10 lakh from Anoop in exchange for a favour.
Speaking to the media before heading to the Crime Branch for questioning on Friday, he said, “I repose faith in the judiciary and am confident of getting justice from the court. I am appearing for the questioning with that confidence.”
The interim bail order of the court had also allowed him to be released on bail by giving a bond of Rs 50,000 along with two sureties, in case he was arrested.
Emerging out of the Crime Branch office after being questioned, Sudhakaran said, "They finished questioning me. They also registered arrest and gave me bail. I believe in the judiciary. Let this case go to trial. They have no evidence. They had things to ask me. I am very confident that there is nothing in this case to punish me as they have no such evidence. I am mentally prepared to face any problem."
The Congress in Kerala has planned a protest against Sudhakaran’s arrest.