HC orders police protection for Monson Mavunkal's driver who claimed harassment by antique dealer

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed police protection for controversial antique dealer Monson Mavunkal's former driver who has alleged intimidation and harassment from his ex-employer and certain officers close to him.
Justice Devan Ramachandran also asked the petitioner-driver to implead the State Police Chief in the matter in view of the serious allegations in his petition against some police officers and also in view of emerging reports of Mavunkal's alleged links with senior officers of the force.

When this petition was filed in August no one knew about the fifth respondent (Mavunkal). Now the world knows about him," the court said.

It further said, "Thankfully it (allegations against police officers) is only regarding Kochi and not Thiruvananthapuram."

The court was of the view that assistance of the State Police Chief would be required for properly adjudicating the matter and allowed the petitioner to make the top cop in the state a party in the matter.

The petitioner-driver, in his plea, claimed that after he made certain disclosures before the police in connection with a cheating case against Mavunkal, the latter through some officers close to him has been allegedly harassing him.

In his petition, filed through advocates Philip T Varghese and Thomas T Varghese, the driver -- Ajith E V -- has alleged that Mavunkal has also threatened to implicate him in criminal cases and get him put behind bars.

Ajith, who was Mavunkal's driver-cum-mechanic from 2009 till January this year, has further alleged that after he made the disclosures in the criminal case, the Circle Inspector of Cherthala and the Station House Officer of Ernakulam Town North Police Station both summoned him to their offices the same day and threatened him with dire consequences if he failed to appear before them.

He has claimed, in his petition, that he had informed the District Police Chief of Alappuzha and the Commissioner of Police, Ernakulam about the alleged harassment, but no action has been taken till date on the same and the CI and SHO are allegedly still continuing with their intimidatory tactics.

Ajith has said that the disclosures he made to the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch, Alappuzha, were in connection with a cheating complaint made against Mavunkal by Rajendran Pillai of Sreevalsam Group of Companies alleging that the dealer had cheated him of Rs 6 crore.

Soon after he gave his statement, Mavunkal came to know about it and called him up and threatened him with dire consequences, the petition has said.

The petitioner has also alleged in his plea that Mavunkal has made false representations about himself and his business to various persons and collected money from them.

Cherthala native Mavunkal, who claims to be in possession of rare and historic antiques, was arrested by the district Crime Branch which has been probing complaints against the dealer of having swindled Rs 10 crore from several people.