Kerala HC orders FIR against Siby Mathews for disclosing Suryanelli rape survivor’s personal info

Kochi: The Kerala High Court ordered the State Police to register an FIR against former DGP Siby Mathews for revealing personal information of the Suryanelli rape survivor in his memoir ‘Nirbhayam-Oru IPS Officerude Anubhavakkurippukal’. 

Although he has not disclosed the name of the survivor in the book, he has shared the name and details of her parents as well as her residence location and details of her alma mater. All this information is enough to identify the girl, observed Justice A Badharudeen.

Pointing out that revealing identifiable information of a victim is a breach of IPC Section 228 A, Justice Badharudeen ordered the police to register an FIR against Siby Mathews. 

Siby Mathews had released his book in 2017. Two years later, a police official, K K Joshwa, filed complaints with the Mannanthala Police and Thiruvananthapuram District Police Chief, urging them to take action against Siby Mathews for making public identifiable information of the victim of the 1996 case in his book. However, no action was taken by the police, prompting him to move the High Court.

The High Court then directed the authorities to consider his complaints. Even then no action was taken. So again, he approached the high court which in turn directed the Police to register an FIR against the former DGP.