No evidence against Kurien in Suryanelli case: Antony

PTI KOZHIKODE UNION Defence Minister A K Antony said in Kozhikode 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.

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 Kurien’s involvement during E K Nayanar’s tenure. Still, no evidence could be gathered against him,” Antony said.

Antony said many, including the current Leader of the Opposition VS Achuthanandan, had raised questions about the investigations during Nayanar’s tenure.

However, 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,” 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.” Antony also emphasised the need to control groupism in the state unit and work unitedly for the party’s success in the coming parliament election in 2014.

“I know that groupism in the Congress party will not end on my appeal. But it should be controlled and not ‘cross the lakshmana rekha. Control groupism and achieve victory should be our slogan,” he said at the special congress convention organised by Kozhikode District Congress Committee.

Party workers should air their views only at the party fora, he said and asked the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee and Kozhikode District congress Committee office-bearers to convene more meetings to enable workers express their views.

Noting that groupism in Congress had existed earlier also, Antony said there was now more groupism in political parties which did not have it in the past. Antony urged party workers to work unitedly and strengthen the party, since it will have to face a tough challenge in the coming parliament elections.