Decades-old fugitive saga gets a twist as new lead turns to be false in Sukumara Kurup case
A retired cop’s claim that Sukumara Kurup is alive in Brunei and a TV photo of another man have revived interest in India’s long-running fugitive mystery
In a twist to a decades-old case, new evidence has emerged regarding the mysterious disappearance of Sukumara Kurup, a notorious fugitive from India. Kurup is wanted for the 1984 murder of Chacko, a film representative, and allegedly committed one of the first insurance crimes in India by faking his own death. For over four decades, Kurup's escape and mythical status became subjects of numerous stories, movies, and neighborhood gossip.
Recently, a retired policeman, Ali Akbar, claimed that Kurup was still alive and living in Brunei as an Indian-origin Malaysian citizen. He provided evidence and information from Kurup's family members to support his claim. Malayalam channel 24 News further spread the rumor by broadcasting photos of a man they identified as Kurup living in Brunei. However, a family member, Karunakara Menon, later revealed that the man in the photos was actually Damodara Menon, not Kurup.
The Keralam crime branch team confirmed that the photo was indeed of Menon and not Kurup, stating that the investigation into Kurup would continue. Keralam home minister Ramesh Chennithala directed the crime branch to verify the reports and contact Interpol to verify the truth of the matter. The developments have created a buzz in Kerala, adding another twist to the long saga surrounding Kurup.
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