Mystery ‘VIP’S’ who killed Sari and Anagha

Sex abuse-suicide case: Court raps CBI
PNS | Kochi

A court in Kochi on Monday severely criticized the CBI for its failure to look into some of the most important aspects of the sensational case relating to the suicide of teenage girl Anagha (who was said to be sexually abused frequently by certain “VIPs”), her parents, sister and brother in Kaviyoor in Pathanamthitta district.

The Special CBI Court asked the CBI – which was investigating the case – why it had not probed the autopsy finding that traces of semen were found on the body of Anagha (15). The autopsy report had said that Anagha had been sexually abused in the 48 hours preceding her death but the CBI had allegedly refused to attach importance to this.

The court also asked the CBI to explain why it had not looked into the letter written by Sreekumari, a friend of Anagha, to a Kerala High Court judge, stating that the ill-fated girl had been subjected to sex abuse frequently by a former Marxist minister, sons of two ministers and a top cop. The court posted the case for further hearing to June 20.

The court’s observations came when it was examining a petition filed by TP Nandakumar, editor of ‘Crime’ magazine, seeking follow-up probe into the mass suicide. In the petition, Nandakumar had sought a probe into the allegation that a former CPI(M) minister, sons of two former Marxist ministers and a police official had sexually abused Anagha frequently.

Anagha, her father KI Narayanan Namboothiri (40), mother Sobhana (35), sister Akhila (8) and brother Akshay (5) were found dead at their rented house in Kaviyoor on September 28, 2004. While the body of Namboothiri was found hanging from a fan in the bedroom, the others were found to have committed suicide by consuming poison.

The CBI failed to give plausible explanations to the court’s queries. The agency, which had listed Lata Nair, who had been involved in the sensational Kiliroor sex scandal, as accused, had taken a position that there was no need of a follow-up probe. The Kaviyoor case, like the Kiliroor scandal, had caused political tremors in Kerala due to the alleged ‘VIP’ involvement.

According to petitioner Nandakumar, Anagha’s friend had written to Justice R Basant of the High Court stating that the political VIPs and the police official used to sexually abuse Anagha by promising her to give chance for acting in films. The judge had handed this letter over to a Deputy Inspector General of Police suggesting an investigation on its basis, he said.

A suicide note left by Anagha’s father had held Lata Nair was partially responsible for the family’s decision to take the extreme step and also that abuses from a few local people had also contributed to it. There were reports that Lata Nair had close links with the priest.

The note also mentioned about some financial deals among Namboothiri, Lata Nair and a leading jewellery shop owner. Anagha’s father, belonging to Kannur district, was working as a priest at a temple at Chumatra near Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta. He was also running an astrology centre at the rented house in Kaviyoor.

The Kaviyoor incident is said to have close links with the Kiliroor sex scandal in which a 15-year-old girl was sexually abused by influential people over a period of time with the promise to cast her in TV serials. The victim, Sari S Nair, died on November 13, 2004 after giving birth to a baby girl.

The CBI had filed the chargesheet in the case in 2006 listing nine persons, including Lata Nair, as accused in this case. The agency submitted that though it had conducted detailed investigation on the allegation of then Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan about the involvement of a ‘VIP’, no such person could be found.

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