State govt planning to bring Damodara Menon back home; Will rehabilitate him if family does not take him over

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has started taking steps to bring Damodara Menon, who was subjected to a false campaign claiming that he was fugitive Sukumara Kurup, to Kerala. He is presently in Brunei, suffering from health issues and the Indian High Commission had earlier requested the Kerala government to intervene for his rehabilitation. Based on this request, the government is making arrangements to bring him back to Kerala once his health improves.

The government has entrusted NORKA to enquire and submit a report on whether his family is willing to take over Damodara Menon. If the family is unwilling to take him over, then the government plans to find alternative rehabilitation arrangements. A police investigation had earlier clarified that the man in Brunei was not wanted fugitive Sukumara Kurup, but Damodara Menon himself.

Meantime, the police investigation on whether there is a conspiracy behind the false campaign claiming that Sukumara Kurup had been found in Brunei is continuing. The crime branch will question several people, including former investigating officer Ali Akbar. The decision is to complete further investigation into Sukumara Kurup within a month. In this context, the present crime branch team will itself investigate the conspiracy behind the latest false campaign. After it was confirmed that the one found in Brunei was not Sukumara Kurup, the crime branch shelved its plan to send a letter to Interpol.