Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony said here on Sunday that the law would take its own course in the Suryanelli sex-scandal case, and he was not ready to create controversies by commenting on the issue.
He was addressing a press conference at the Government guest house. Mr. Antony, who was initially reluctant to answer questions regarding the case, however, opened up later. The Defence Minister said that the due process of law was followed in the investigation in the case.
“The Suryanelli case came up when I was the Chief Minister. The investigation was handed over to the Crime Branch as soon as the complaint was received. No evidence was found against P.J. Kurien in the investigation. After this, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) ruled for 10 years and the United Democratic Front (UDF) for seven years. Investigations were conducted twice into Prof. Kurien’s involvement during E.K. Nayanar’s tenure. Still, no evidence could be gathered against him,” Mr. Antony said.
Mr. Antony said many, including the current Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan, had raised questions about the investigations during Nayanar’s tenure. However, Mr. Achuthanandan did not take any action with regard to reinvestigating the case when he was in power for five years. “The government has received one more complaint following the Supreme Court verdict in the case. The complaint will be examined and appropriate action will be taken. If anyone has objections to this action, they can go to court again,” Mr. Antony said. On former Kerala High Court judge R. Basant’s comments on the victim in the Suryanelli case, he said the remarks were “most unfortunate.”
Keywords: Suryanelli rape, AK Antony, PJ. Kurien, Kerala politics
she could not have imagined, seventeen years ago, that this man
will be the future Dy.Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and will
preside over the discussions on the new rape laws.
The above argument shall suffice for him and his bosses to see
that he is not in this chair even for a moment, irrespective of
whether he is investigated for rape again or not.
There was an allegation of rape seventeen years ago, a pretty
strong one which has come back to haunt him now again only
because of the ruling of the Supreme court, inspite of an
earlier exoneration by the highest court,is a conviction in
itself. He must be made to quit public life for ever.
Surprising that all ruling party leaders know that there are no evidences even when
the SC has quashed the verdict of the Kerala High Court. They don't believe in the
idiom 'Caesar's wife must be above suspicion' , it seems.
Please Email the Editor