Senior IPS Officer Guguloth Lakshman Suspended over Alleged Antique Dealer Cheating Case
The Kerala government has taken decisive action against a senior IPS officer, Guguloth Lakshman, by suspending him due to his alleged involvement in a cheating case connected to notorious conman and self-styled antique dealer, Monson Mavunkal. The high-ranking police official’s participation in the crime was brought to light during the course of the investigation, prompting the government to take immediate action.
In an order issued by Chief Secretary Dr Venu, Lakshman was placed under suspension with immediate effect, citing Rule 3 (1) of All India Services (Discipline & appeal) Rules. The move comes after Lakshman had previously approached the Kerala High Court in an attempt to have the FIR registered against him quashed. The FIR accused him of various offenses, including forgery and cheating. Lakshman maintained that he was wrongly implicated without any substantial evidence against him.
The case revolves around Monson Mavunkal, a native of Cherthala, who claims to possess rare and historic antiques. In September 2021, Mavunkal was arrested by the district Crime Branch, which was conducting an investigation into multiple complaints against him. The victims accused Mavunkal of cheating them out of a staggering sum of Rs 10 crore.
Disturbingly, photographs of Mavunkal with prominent figures began circulating as soon as he was arrested, including the KPCC chief Sudhakaran, senior IPS officials like Lakshman, senior bureaucrats, and others. This revelation undoubtedly added weight to the case against Lakshman, further tarnishing the reputation of the police force.
The complaint against Mavunkal was forwarded to the Ernakulam District Crime Branch after six victims sought the intervention of the Chief Minister’s office. Mavunkal had reportedly borrowed large sums of money from various individuals under the pretense of needing funds to facilitate the release of an astronomical amount from his foreign bank account, totaling Rs 2,65,000 crore.
In a separate case, Mavunkal was recently convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the repeated rape of a minor girl several years ago, thus adding another dimension to his already notorious criminal record.
The suspension of a high-ranking IPS officer like Guguloth Lakshman underscores the seriousness of the allegations against him, as well as the government’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the police force. The case continues to unfold, and it remains to be seen what further developments will arise from this ongoing investigation.
