Mavunkal booked for sexually abusing minor girl

Police registered the case under various provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and handed over the matter to the Crime Branch special investigation team which is probing all allegations against Mavunkal.

Kochi:Kerala police on Tuesday registered a case against self-styled antique dealer Monson Mavunkal, who was arrested last month in a cheating case, for allegedly sexually abusing a minor girl for the last two years.

Police registered the case under various provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and handed over the matter to the Crime Branch special investigation team which is probing all allegations against Mavunkal.

"The girl's mother had approached the police last night with the complaint. She was afraid to approach the police earlier. The complaint says he was sexually abusing the child from July 2019 till September this year when he was arrested," a senior crime branch official told the media.

The special team has begun the probe.

A native of Cherthala, Mavunkal, who claims to be in possession of rare and historic antiques, was arrested last month by the Crime Branch wing of the Kerala police probing complaints against the dealer of having swindled Rs 10 crore from several people.

The victims claimed that they lost Rs 10 crore in their dealings with Mavunkal, who allegedly earned their trust using his high profile contacts, including politicians, top IPS officers and bureaucrats.

PTI