Gang-rape accused Kerala Police inspector Sunu dismissed from service

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Sunu had claimed the charges against him were fabricated and that he did not know the complainant. Photo: Manorama.

Kozhikode: Inspector P R Sunu, who is an accused in several cases including the Thrikkakara gang rape, was dismissed from service on Monday. He was suspended owing to the cases in November last.

Sunu was dismissed on the grounds of misconduct, which comes under Section 86 of the Kerala Police Act. As per the section, police personnel involved in criminal cases should be suspended from service. The rule also stipulates that they should be dismissed from service if found guilty. 

First in Kerala Police history
This is the first time in the history of Kerala Police that an officer has been removed from service under this section.

At the time of suspension, Sunu was the Station House Officer at Beypore Coastal Police Station. The suspension was based on the report by Kochi City Commissioner C H Nagaraju which outlined the inspector's connections with anti-social elements.

The DGP had asked Sunu to give him an explanation by appearing in person at the police headquarters, which he did not. As per reports, he emailed the DGP that he can't go to the headquarters due to ill-health. The service termination decision was taken after conducting an online session with him.

The State Police Chief Anil Kanth had sent a letter to the Home Secretary recommending Sunu's dismissal. Though Sunu approached the State Administrative Tribunal asking to stop the proceedings, he couldn't secure a favourable ruling. 

Cases against Sunu

Four of the six cases, in which Sunu is accused, are for sexual abuse or rape. When posted in Kochi, Thrissur and Kannur, Sunu is believed to have engaged in sexual crimes against women using his authority as a police officer. Besides serving six months in jail, he has faced departmental investigations and punishment nine times.

The former officer had faced department-level actions 15 times, in connection with various cases. 

He is the third accused in the case pertaining to the gang rape of a woman in Thrikkakara in Ernakulam. Sunu had claimed the charges against him were fabricated and that he did not know the complainant. Of the 10 accused in the gang rape case, the complainant has identified five.

 The DGP had laid out all these as grounds for his removal from service.

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