Kochi, Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Friday said reports that fugitive Sukumara Kurup is still alive were only rumours and directed the Crime Branch to verify their veracity.
“I have instructed ADGP Crime Branch Venkatesh to investigate. The Kerala Police needs to contact Interpol and find out the actual truth of the matter. Right now, what we have are just rumours. Chennithala also denied a claim by a retired police officer that he had submitted a report to the authorities stating that Kurup was still alive and in constant touch with his relatives in Keralam.
Kurup is wanted in connection with the 1984 murder of Chacko in Mavelikara, allegedly as part of a plan to fake his own death and claim a life insurance payout.
These are not verified facts,” he said.
“It has been around 40 years now. What is there to suppress? In any case, let the investigation proceed, and the truth come out. We don’t know yet whether this is true or false.
In any case, the government has initiated the necessary actions,” he said.
Despite several investigation teams attempting to trace him since then, Kurup has remained absconding.
