Kerala Home Minister orders probe into reports of fugitive Sukumara Kurup sighting

The Kerala Home Minister has instructed the state's Crime Branch to investigate reports suggesting that Sukumara Kurup, one of India's most elusive fugitives, may be alive and living in Brunei under a different name with a fraudulent passport.

Kurup has been at large since 1984, when he was accused of murdering a man named Chacko in Mavelikara as part of an alleged scheme to stage his own death and illegally claim life insurance proceeds. The case has remained one of Kerala's most high-profile unsolved matters, with the fugitive evading law enforcement across multiple decades.

The latest reports claiming Kurup's presence in Brunei have prompted official action, with authorities tasked with verifying the credibility of these sightings and determining his current whereabouts. The development marks a significant lead in a case that has long captured public attention in Kerala.

Details regarding the specific nature of the intelligence or the basis for reports of Kurup's existence in Southeast Asia remain limited. The Crime Branch's verification process is expected to involve coordination with international law enforcement agencies if the leads prove substantive.