Know what is Suryanelli gangrape case that is haunting Rajya Sabha deputy chief P J Kurien

New Delhi, Feb 8: The Suryanelli gang rape case of 1996 has become the proverbial thorn in the flesh for the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, P J Kurien. Kurien belongs to Kerala and is a senior leader of Indian National Congress (INC). He served as union minister several times and took over as the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha on August 21, 2012.Indian politics has witnessed plethora of scandals full of sex and sleaze since independence and whenever a new scandal comes to light, it evokes a poignant sense of déjà-vu. But this time, the case is entirely different and serious as it involves the constitutional post of Deputy Chairman of the upper house of parliament.What is this Suryanelli rape case and how is P J Kurien related to this case? For understanding the case in entirety, let's go back to 1996.In 1996, a 16 year old girl was kidnapped by a bus conductor in Kerala and was raped by 42 men for 40 days. After the girl was released, she wrote a letter to then Chief Minister A K Antony stating that among others she was raped by a person called ‘Bhajji' at the Kumily guest house. Later, when a picture of that person appeared in a newspaper, she recognised ‘Bhajji' as P.J. Kurien. According to the victim, this was pointed out by her to investigation officials, but they did not book Kurien as an accused.The Suryanelli case is named after the place where the victim hailed from, in Kerala's Idukki district.In 1999, the Kerala government under tremendous media and public pressure instituted the state's first ever special court to try a case of sexual assault. The Special Court sentenced 35 persons to rigorous imprisonment for varying terms.On 20 January 2005, the Kerala High Court acquitted the 35 convicted earlier and found only one person, Dharmarajan, guilty only of crimes related to the sex trade. His sentence was reduced to five years and fines amounting to Rs. 50,000. P J Kurien was discharged by Kerala High Court on April 4, 2007 for the lack of evidence. Supreme Court of India dismissed a petition filed by the then Kerala Government challenging the High Court's acquital of P J Kurien.The appeal against the Kerala High Court order acquitting all 35 person is pending in Supreme Court for last 8 years.The victim joined the Sales Tax Department as a Peon later on. On Feb 6 2012, the police arrested her in connection with an alleged financial irregularity worth Rs 2,26,000. She was suspended from her job at the sales tax department. After eight months, she was reinstated. The victim alleged that vested interests have set her up as her case was coming up for hearing in Supreme Court.The furor created over the brutal rape of Damini, a 23 year old girl in Delhi, had its reverberations felt in Supreme Court as well. on the January 3, the Chief Justice of India announced that the hearings on the Suryanelli rape case would begin within three weeks.Kurien's name figured again in connection with the case after the victim wrote to her advocate on 29 January to explore the possibility of filing a review petition, seeking a fresh probe against him.On Jan 31 of 2013, the SC set aside the Kerala High Court's order acquitting 35 accused in the Suryanelli rape case. A bench headed by Justice A.K. Patnaik sent the case back to the High Court for taking a fresh look at it.Once the Supreme Court overruled the Kerala High Court judgment, the opposition parties started demanding the resignation of P J Kurien who is now the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha.Reacting to charges against him, P J Kurien said that he was completely innocent, in the eyes of God and court too."Please note that I have been cleared by three different police investigation teams; besides the apex court exonerated me and the final discharge in the case following a private petition filed by the victim came from the Kerala High Court. In the eyes of god also I have done no wrong," Kurien said.Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has also indicated that the government had not totally ruled out the possibility of a further investigation into the alleged involvement of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson P J Kurien in the Suryanelli gangrape case.“Who had said there would not be a further investigation? I have only said that an appropriate decision would be taken after getting the legal opinion. Let us wait for the legal opinion,” said Chandy after the CPI-M led LDF raised the temperature on the issue both inside and outside Assembly.

Know what is Suryanelli gangrape case that is haunting Rajya Sabha deputy chief P J Kurien

New Delhi, Feb 8: The Suryanelli gang rape case of 1996 has become the proverbial thorn in the flesh for the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, P J Kurien. Kurien belongs to Kerala and is

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