The Kerala Police are unlikely to register a fresh case against Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien in the Suryanelli rape case, after State Director-General of Prosecution (DGP) Asaf Ali told the government that there was no scope for reopening the case.
Ali, a former Congress leader, reiterated in his report that the victim did not provide any new evidence against Kurien. A fresh case could not be registered based on old charges. He also pointed out that Kurien was acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2006.
The government had sought the DGP’s opinion after the victim filed a petition at the Chingavanam police station in Kottayam district, requesting registration of a case against Kurien in the wake of a convict’s disclosure. Dharamarajan, the third accused and lone convict in the case, had claimed to have driven Kurien in his Ambassador car to the Kumali guest house on February 19, 1996, where the victim was allegedly raped.
Since the sub-inspector at the police station declined to register the case, her petition was sent to the Kottayam district police chief by post.
Victim’s counsel said if her request was not honoured, she would move the high court against the police chief and the sub-inspector.
Meanwhile, the high court has adjourned hearing on the bail pleas of 19 accused in the case to March 4 since it has not yet received the Supreme Court’s direction to reconsider the case.
The apex court had set aside the high court order discharging 35 of 36 accused and directed it to reopen the case. It had, however, clarified that the accused, who were sentenced to varying terms by the trial court, may seek bail from the high court.
Case filed after abusive FB posts
The Kerala Police have registered a case under the IT Act on a complaint that ‘abusive’ comments have been posted on Facebook against the state Mahila Congress chief for backing Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien in the Suryanelli gang-rape case.
Based on a complaint by Mahila Congress chief Bindu Krishna, the case under Section 66 A of the IT Act had been registered saying abusive comments along with her picture had been posted on the social media and investigation was on, a cyber cell official of the Kerala Police said. So far no action had been initiated against anybody, the official said. Krishna said she had submitted the szcomplaint to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who forwarded it to the Cyber cell for investigation.
“As per the information available so far, the comments were posted from a fake ID and police were trying to trace their origin. Police are in contact with Facebook authorities,” Krishna said.
