Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran, MP, has moved the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against a police officer investigating him on suspicion of financial fraud.
In a petition to Mr Birla, Mr Sudhakaran alleged that Deputy Superintendent of Police, Rustom, had ensnared him in a financial fraud case involving suspected fake antiquities dealer Monson Mavunkal at the behest of the ruling CPI(M).
Mr. Sudhakaran also despatched a copy of the petition to the Parliament Ethics Committee, State Police Chief and Police Complaints Authority for necessary action.
He said Mr. Rustom played second fiddle to the CPI(M) ‘s intention to tarnish the KPCC president in the public eye.
Mr. Sudhakaran noted that Monson, around whom the financial fraud probe revolves, in a communique routed through the Superintendent, Viyyur Central Prison, had informed the court that Mr Rustom had attempted to coerce him into giving incriminating statements against Mr Sudhakaran.
Mr. Sudhakaran said the bid to browbeat Monson into giving a false statement occurred when the police escorted him to the prison after his conviction in a child abuse case on June 17.
He alleged the Dy.SP. first attempted to take Monson from court to a Crime Branch office in Ernakulam. When escorting officers objected, Mr. Rustom allegedly stopped the vehicle at a petrol pump.
Mr. Sudhakaran said the officer then demanded Monson implicate the KPCC president in the child abuse and financial fraud cases against the ‘fake antique dealer’ at the peril of the suspect’s family.
Mr. Sudhakaran said that CPI(M) party organ, Deshabhimani, soon echoed Mr. Rustom’s demands as if they were a fact, and CPI(M) State Secretary M. V. Govindan parroted the ‘falsehoods.”
He said the CPI(M) orchestrated the entire scheme.
“If they could foist a false case against an Opposition leader, what protection do ordinary people have against the trespasses on their rights by the police and CPI(M)?” Mr.Sudhakaran asked.
He said a cabal beholden to the CPI(M) controlled the police. The party has imposed a police State in Kerala to stifle dissent and strangle democracy, Mr. Sudhakaran said.
