Kerala court issues notice to PJ Kurien

Idukki (PTI): In a setback to Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien, a court in Kerala on Wednesday ordered issue of notice to him on a criminal revision petition filed by the Suryanelli rape victim. The Thodupuzha sessions court judge, Abraham Mathew, admitted the plea and issued notices to Dharmarajan, a prime accused in the case, and two other accused Jamal and Unnikrishnan and the state government. The petition has been posted to May 29. The court said Dharmarajan, who is presently lodged at Thiruvananthapuram Poojapura jail, should also be produced in court on May 29. The petition was filed by the victim challenging the dismissal of her earlier complaint filed before the Peermedu Judicial First Class Magistrate court seeking further investigation into the 'involvement' of Kurien in the case. The victim's advocates also produced before the court the 'revelations' made by Dharmarajan to a television channel shortly before his arrest recently after he had jumped bail, that he had escorted Kurien to a guesthouse on February 19, 1996 where the girl was allegedly sexually exploited. The victim had filed a complaint before the Peermedu court on March 1 this year against Kurien on the basis of Dharmarjan's revelations. She had last month filed a complaint in a police station at Kottayam against Kurien, seeking that he be made an accused in the case. That complaint was not registered. The case relates to the victim hailing from Suryanelli in Idukki district of Kerala being abducted in January 1996 and transported to various places and sexually exploited by over 40 persons. Though she had named Kurien as one among those who had exploited her, he was not made an accused in the case.