KOCHI: The crime branch filed a report in the court implicating Ex-DIG Surendran's wife, Bindulekha and Santhosh, a sculptor from Kilimanoor who provided the 'artifacts' to Monson Mavungal in an antiques fraud case.

With this development, the number of accused in the case has increased to seven. Both Bindulekha and Santhosh were accused of complicity in the fraud. S Surendran is the fourth accused. Bindulekha and Santosh will be summoned by the crime branch immediately.

Bindulekha was Monson Mavungal's secretary-like employee when the archaeological financial scams were being staged. This was on the suggestion of her husband S Surendran. Through this, Monson could easily convince even the wealthy that he was closely related to the family of the high-ranking police officer. Monson also intended to defraud them. Money from Monson's account has been traced to Bindulekha's account. While interrogating S Surendran, the crime branch had some suspicions about his wife's financial dealings. The evidence to support this also led to Bindulekha's implication.

Santhosh was prosecuted because he was involved in the fraud without revealing it even though he knew that what he had provided were not authentic antiquities. Even when Monson promoted the archaeological collection on YouTube including praising it Santosh remained silent. The crime branch believes that the extensive fraud could have been prevented if he had disclosed the truth. Santosh later admitted that Monson had not given him genuine items but rather counterfeits.

The crime branch filed a case against Monson based on Santosh's complaint that he had defrauded him of Rs 70 lakh by supplying him with sculptures and idols.

The crime branch has initiated an investigation into the middleman Sujatha, a native of Andhra. They need to be questioned as per the assessment. IG G Lakshmana introduced Monson to them. Once they arrived in Kochi, they inspected all the 'artifacts'. They had intended to purchase these on behalf of the individual from Andhra but the transaction did not occur. Sujatha has visited Kerala multiple times and met Monson. The meeting place was the police club. The primary focus of the investigation is whether the individual from Andhra was ensnared in a scam.