Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President K Sudhakaran who is in the midst of steering the Congress party on a new path received an unexpected jolt with the arrest of Kochi-based swindler Monson Mavunkal. Photographs and statements of the complainants unequivocally proved the Congress leader had enjoyed the hospitality of the man now alleged to be a fraudster.
Sudhakaran now fears the Left-led Kerala government will come after him by exploiting the Monson case.
"The CPM is trying to finish me off politically using the Monson case. The sweeping changes happening in the Congress organisation was creating discomfort for the CPM leaders and this is the reason why I am being targeted," Sudhakaran stated.
He said that he is ready to reopen the fight with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan which he had ended once.
Sudhakaran also expressed apprehension that Monson, the accused in the multi-crore antique fraud case, might have extracted money from Anoop, one of the complainants, by posing as someone having proximity with him.
Sudhakaran reiterated that he went to Monson's house for treatment. He denied that he had any financial dealings either with Monson or with Anoop.
"I had gone to a place where many politicians and senior police officers had gone," Sudhakaran defended himself referring to photographs showed him with Monson at the latter's home.
The KPCC chief lamented that no one had any complaints over ministers and senior officials meeting Monson at his house.
As reported earlier antique dealer Monson, who was arrested and later remanded over a Rs 10 crore cheating case, had used his links with those in the socio-political and bureaucratic circles as a ploy to dupe others, according to the complaints in the case. The allegations were raised in the complaint given to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan by complainants Yakub Purayil, Siddique Purayil, Anoop V Ahamed, Salim Edathil, M T Shameer and Shanimon.
Mavunkal had reportedly collected money from the complainants on the pretext of releasing funds which had been frozen by a bank in New Delhi due to violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act.