Protests over Kurien issue on, key witness retracts

In a new twist to the Suryanelli rape case, a local BJP leader today alleged his statement was wrongly recorded by investigators benefiting Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson P K Kurien who is facing heat on the issue as protests continued with calls for his exit. BJP State Secretary, K S Rajan, whose testimony to the police had helped Kurien to get cleared of the charge against him levelled by the victim, told a press meet in Kozhikode that what the police submitted in the court as his statement was different from what he had actually said. Rajan, along with whom BJP state President V Muraleedharan was also present, said he would initiate legal action against former ADGP Sibi Mathews who had headed the team that probed the 1996 case. He alleged Mathews, now Chief Information Commissioner in the state, had altered the time at which he had seen Kurien, as mentioned in his statement, in Tiruvalla at the house of one Idikkula on the day he had allegedly molested the girl in a guest house at Kumali in Idukki district. While the youth and women outfits of the Left and the BJP kept up their protests demanding Kurien's resignation and re-investigation into his alleged involvement in the case, the state leadership of Congress rallied behind Kurien once again denouncing the campaign against him. BJP's women wing Mahila Morcha members marched to Kurien's residence at Vennikkulam in Pathanamthitta District demanding his removal from the Rajya Sabha post. (MORE)