KOCHI: 17 cases, including four sexual harassment cases, have been charged against Monson Mavunkal. He was granted bail in all but three cases of sexual abuse. Three of the four abuse cases were for sexually abusing his employee's minor daughter and one was for abusing the employee. All others are fraud and cheating cases. He appeared in the Ernakulam court yesterday for bail in the POCSO case. Judgment will be on June 17.

The first case registered by Crime Branch was the extortion of Rs 10 crore in connection with antiquities. Yakub Purakkal, a native of Kozhikode's Mavoor, was the first to be arrested on this complaint filed by six people. He has been in jail for more than 450 days. Monson, who was in Kakkanad District Jail, was later transferred to a high-security in Thrissur.

The second case of the crime branch is based on the complaint of Thiruvananthapuram resident Shilpi Suresh that she was cheated of Rs 70 lakh by giving sculptures and idols.