Kerala HC grants anticipatory bail to Congress MP K Sudhakaran in cheating case

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday granted interim anticipatory bail for a period of two weeks to K Sudhakaran, a Member of Parliament (MP) and President of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, in a cheating case linked to notorious fake antique dealer Monson Mavunkal.

Justice Ziyad Rahman AA said that Sudhakaran will be released on bail upon executing a bond of ₹50,000 if he faces arrest.

Additionally, he is required to appear before the Crime Branch for investigation on June 23, as directed by the court.

Sudhakaran approached the court asserting that the First Information Report (FIR) registered by the police in 2021, based on a complaint filed in 2018, did not include any allegations against him.

The charges filed against him include offences punishable under Sections 468, 471, and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which pertain to forgery, fraudulent use of a document, and cheating.

Highlighting the delay in issuing a notice to him under Section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which occurred nineteen months after the case was registered, Sudhakaran claimed that it was an attempt to entangle him in the controversy and damage his reputation, which he had built over years of public service.

He further argued that custodial interrogation was unnecessary as the allegations against him lack substance and do not establish any wrongdoing on his part. Sudhakaran assured his cooperation with the investigation and emphasized his commitment to upholding justice.

With inputs from agencies

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