HC moved for probe against Kurien

A petition was filed in Kerala high court seeking a direction to the state and director general of police to conduct investigation against Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien in the Suriyanelli rape case in the light of the victim's charges against him in the 17-year-old case.

According to petitioner, Kamala Sadanandan, General Secretary of the Kerala Mahila Sangam, a wing of the Communist Party of India, the victim, a minor girl was raped by 40 odd persons in 1996.

She has been complaining since 1996 alleging that Kurien was one of the perpetrators of the crime. Her complaint to the then chief minister had resulted in it being relegated to DYSP, Kottayam. Despite such a heinous crime, no FIR was registered in view of the political clout’ of Kurien, the petitioner alleged.

The inquiry report in favour of Ku rien cannot be taken into consideration as it was not based on a first information reportor in terms of the Crpc, it was stated.

The petitioner also sought to call for the records relating to the investigation, into the role of Kurien, if any, conducted by Sibi Mathews, who headed the special investigation team, which probed the case. The petition is likely to come up for hearing on Tuesday.