Setback for MLA Mani C Kappan in financial fraud case

KOCHI: The High Court rejected the revision petition filed by Pala MLA Mani C Kappan against the special court order in the financial transaction case. Justice C. S. Dias assessed that there was no error in the special court's order dated March 20.

It was Mumbai Malayali Dinesh Menon, who filed a complaint alleging getting cheated after the MLA refused to return the borrowed money. Kappan approached the High Court after the Special Magistrate's Court of Ernakulam, which hears the cases of people's representatives, judged that the charge would stand.

In 2010, Kappan borrowed two crore rupees from Dinesh. Initially, only 25 lakhs were returned. In 2013, an agreement was signed to repay 3.25 crore in instalments including interest. Kappan gave post-dated checks and 98.85 cents of land at Aymanam village as collateral. When the checks bounced, the complainant inquired and found the land was mortgaged with the Co-operative Bank. With this, a case was filed in the Magistrate Court. Kappan approached the High Court and the Supreme Court to cancel this but failed.

MLA Kappan then got bail from a special court. The High Court ordered that the petition of the complainant be disposed of within one year. The special court examined two witnesses in the case. After this, Kappan filed a revision petition saying the charges against him were illegal.