A claim that Kerala's most-wanted fugitive Sukumara Kurup had been traced to Brunei collapsed on 28 August within hours of Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala ordering a Crime Branch probe, after relatives confirmed that the man in the circulated photograph was Damodara Menon, a Thrissur native who has lived in Brunei for more than four decades.

How the Claim Unravelled

Karunakaran, brother of Damodara Menon of Karumathra in Thrissur, confirmed to reporters at the family home that both the photograph and passport details circulating online as those of Kurup belonged to his brother. Local residents corroborated the identification. Special Branch officials subsequently visited the family home to record statements from relatives and neighbours.

Damodara, who is nearly 80 years old, left Kerala after completing his education in Pune, later moved to London for higher studies and employment, and eventually settled in Brunei after a stint in Malaysia. He married a woman from Palakkad and the couple have two children. He is currently undergoing treatment in Brunei following an accident and last visited his native place approximately 26 years ago.

Crime Branch Probe Shifts Direction

Chennithala had directed the Crime Branch to verify the Brunei reports and assigned the investigation to Crime Branch chief H. Venkatesh. The agency had been preparing to seek information from Brunei through Interpol assistance when the identity of the man in the photograph was established in Kerala itself. With the Brunei lead effectively ruled out, the enquiry has now pivoted to determining the origin and authenticity of the photograph and documents that sparked the reports in the first place.

The Special Branch is expected to submit its findings to both the Crime Branch and the Home Department. The episode has also raised pointed questions about how reports linking the photograph to Interpol and the Crime Branch circulated without prior verification.

Family Alleges Misuse of Private Documents

Relatives of Damodara alleged that his photographs and private documents — belonging to an elderly man recovering from an accident — had been deliberately misused to construct the claim that Kurup was living in Brunei. The family noted that the photograph had first appeared in WhatsApp groups nearly three months ago. Damodara's brother said he remains in regular contact with the family and had spoken to them as recently as a month before the controversy erupted.

The family has demanded a thorough investigation into how Damodara's private information and passport photograph entered the public domain and has indicated it will pursue legal action.

Who Is Sukumara Kurup

Kurup has been wanted in connection with the 1984 Chacko murder case and has remained one of Kerala's most elusive fugitives for more than four decades. The Brunei claim had briefly revived intense public speculation about his whereabouts before it was challenged from within Thrissur itself. The Crime Branch enquiry now faces the dual task of continuing the search for Kurup while investigating the source of the misleading documents.