Kerala High Court Reserves Verdict In Monson Mavunkal's Bail Pleas In Sexual Assault Cases

The Kerala High Court on Monday reserved its verdict on the bail applications moved by infamous fake antique dealer Monson Mavunkal in a batch of cases where several women have accused him of sexually abusing them. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas reserved orders in the cases, one of them being a POCSO case, after hearing all the parties. The parties concluded their arguments today. Advocate Renjith B. Marar appeared for the petitioner in the case. According to the FIR filed by one of the women, a nurse, she was raped with the threat that otherwise her brother will be implicated in an NDPS case in the first week of May 2018.The woman added that this continued till June 2019. Thereafter, she gave a statement on 27 October 2021 to the police and a crime was registered against him. Soon he was arrested on 6th November 2021 and remanded to judicial custody.According to Mavunkal, the woman was anxious of being implicated as a co-accused in various financial crimes and this prompted her to turn against him. He added that the statement was allegedly dictated by the police officers themselves. The accused also contended that the woman is a married woman with children who is estranged from her husband. In his application, Mavunkal has questioned the undue delay in filing the case, claiming to be proof that it is a false story.He has further alleged that the police was highly interested in the case and was prejudiced against him. The plea also contends that money, politics, and the police force are invested to throw him behind bars.He also submitted that in most of the financial crimes, he has been granted bail, thereby proving that this sexual assault case was nothing but a result of clear manipulation.Mavunkal has claimed that his family is devastated; he argued that his daughter's marriage has been called off after he was arrested. It was further submitted that a final report on the matter has been filed. On these grounds, Mavunkal pressed that the application be allowed and he be released on bail.Notably, a Sessions Court had dismissed Mavunkal's bail application finding that the records prima facie show his involvement in the said offences.The trial court also recorded in its order that not only are these allegations grave but Mavunkal is reportedly involved in several crimes of similar nature. Additionally, the trial court had found merit in the prosecution's apprehension that since the man is highly influential, he could influence the witnesses, or even abscond.Case Title: Monson Mavunkal v. State of Kerala & Anr.

Kerala High Court Reserves Verdict In Monson Mavunkal's Bail Pleas In Sexual Assault Cases

Hannah M Varghese

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