THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Crime Branch will question IG Gugulloth Laxman and former DIG S Surendran, who connived with antiquities fraudster Monson Mavunkal, on the 29th and 31st. The IG is called for questioning after a month of being accused in the case. Gugulloth Laxman and S Surendran are the third and fourth accused in the fraud case in which Monson is the first accused. The crime branch had found that the IG was directly involved in the scam but was not even ready to question him. Kerala Kaumudi had published a news about this last Saturday. Immediate action followed.

Laxman, who returned to service after a 15-month suspension, is now in charge of training the police. The report of the departmental inquiry headed by ADGP TK Vinodkumar, which found the IG's complicity in Monson's fraud, has been handed over to the government. The IG may be suspended again after the Crime Branch inquiry. Laxman's promotion as ADGP has been blocked by the government.

Laxman was suspended in November 2021 when the Crime Branch informed the Chief Minister that he tried to sell 'fake antiquities' using an Andhra woman as a middleman and protected the scammer using police powers. The crime branch has photos, videos and phone call records of Laxman and Surendran showing their role in the scam. The crime branch is about to cancel the anticipatory bail obtained by both of them from the High Court and take further steps. Meanwhile, the pressure is on to give Laxman a clean chit for promotion.