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Kerala HC dismisses ex-minister's plea in sex case

The Kerala high court on Wednesday upheld Congress leader P J Kurien's arraigning in the Suryanelli sexual assault case.

Dismissing a petition filed by the former Union minister, Justice K A Mohammed Shafi said that no ground had been made out for quashing the proceedings before the Peeremedu judicial first class magistrate, who had found a prima facie case of rape against the petitioner.

The case relates to the abduction of a minor girl from her residence at Suryanelli in Idukki district by a bus conductor on the promise to marry her. He then confined her at various places in the state and allowed several people to sexually assault her under threat and coercion. The chargesheet filed by the police named 42 persons.

The case was posted for trial before the additional sessions court specially constituted at Kottayam.

Though Prof Kurien's name did not originally figure in the chargesheet, the victim had later filed a private complaint against him before the magistrate who, on examining seven witnesses mentioned in the complaint and on the basis of a preliminary inquiry, arraigned him as an accused on May 7, 1999.

Prof Kurien, challenging the proceedings, had stated that the special team of the crime branch police had already examined the matter and exonerated him. He alleged political motives in the case.

Rejecting the contention, the court held that there was no material to show that the complaint was vitiated by mala fide intentions.

UNI

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