CPI(M) MP Brinda Karat today met Vice President Hamid Ansari and submitted a letter to him demanding that he take steps to prevent P J Kurien from occupying the Chair of Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha till his name is cleared in the Suryanelli gangrape case.

"My appeal to you is to take steps to protect the dignity of the constitutional post of Deputy Chairman. In the light of the Supreme Court judgement for reinvestigation in the main petition (in Suryanelli gangrape case), it is unthinkable that an individual accused in the case by the victim can occupy the Chair until he is cleared by a reinvestigation," Karat said in her letter to Ansari.

She pointed out in her letter that the ordinance against sexual assault will come up for discussion in the budget session and hence it is important that Kurien does not occupy the Chair.

"The status of India’s Parliament will be irreparably damaged in the eyes of the world if such a discussion is permitted to be guided by a person who has been accused of involvement in a case of rape of a 17-year-old. I am confident that you will do what is best in the interests of upholding the dignity of Parliament," Karat said.

She rubbished the claims made by Kurien, who is a Congress MP of the Rajya Sabha from Kerala, about his innocence in the gangrape case.

"Prof Kurien has claimed that he has been 'exonerated' in three investigations and also by the High Court and the Supreme Court. He has claimed that the Supreme Court judgement has nothing to do with him. The defence is most misleading," the CPI(M) Politbureau member said.

Karat claimed that after the Suryanelli gangrape case has been reopened, Kurien cannot claim innocence.

She referred to the private petition against P J Kurien in which the lower court held that there was prima facie evidence and that his name should be included. Kurien had appealed to the High Court which asked him to go back to the lower court.

"His (Kurien's) appeal was heard by an Additional Sessions Court in 2006 which again rejected his petition and held that the allegations are clear, specific and unambiguous and that therefore the victim should be given a chance to prove her case," Karat said in her letter.

She added three courts have rejected Kurien’s appeal to have his name excluded from the list of accused.

"The Supreme Court made a stinging indictment of the High Court judgement and rejected its reasoning of 'consent' as totally flawed. The Supreme Court has ordered a reinvestigation by the Kerala High Court. In this context, the victim, who has at last got justice from the Supreme Court, has once again appealed to reinvestigate the case against Kurien," she said.

The CPI(M) leader alleged it is the Kerala government headed by Kurien’s party- the Congress- which is refusing to probe the case again.