Kerala Home Minister orders probe into rumors that fugitive Sukumara Kurup is alive

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has directed the Crime Branch to investigate recent rumors suggesting that fugitive Sukumara Kurup may still be alive. The reports claim Kurup is living in Brunei under a different name and using a different passport.

Kurup has been wanted since January 1984 following the death of film representative KJ Chacko in Mavelikara. It is alleged that Kurup orchestrated the murder as part of a scheme to fake his own death and claim a large life insurance payout. Despite decades of investigation and numerous unconfirmed sightings across India and abroad, authorities have never been able to confirm his location or bring him into custody.

The Home Minister stated that the Kerala Police must contact Interpol to verify the veracity of these claims, noting that current reports remain unverified rumors. The case is currently classified as a Long Pending (LP) case and is being handled by the Crime Branch.