Thodupuzha, Kerala:
In a fresh twist to the Suryanelli rape case, prime accused Dharmarajan today told a sessions court in Kerala that he had implicated Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien on the suggestions of a local journalist.
The journalist in question allegedly belongs to the Matrabhoomi news channel, to which Dharamarajan had given an interview in February saying he had taken Kurien to the Kumli guest house, where the victim claimed she was raped by Kurien.
In court, Dharamarajan today claimed he was drunk at the time of the interview and was financially not doing well.
On March 27, a Sessions Court in Kerala ordered issue of notice to Mr Kurien on a criminal revision petition filed by the girl challenging the dismissal of her earlier complaint seeking further investigation into Kurien's involvement in the case. The hearing of the petition rested on Dharmrajan's statement to the television channel.
The case seeks to include Mr Kurien as an accused with charges of raping her.
The schoolgirl, who is a resident of Suryanelli from Idukki district of Kerala, was allegedly abducted and sexually exploited by over 40 people. Though the girl had named Kurien as an accused, his name was kept out of the original case, in which36 people were chargesheeted for conspiracy, wrongful confinement and rape. The girl has maintained that Kurien was one of the people who raped her despite the High Court exonerating him and the police giving his a clean chit.
The hearing of the review petitions against PJ Kurien has been posted to June 22.