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Sex racket probe may re-open

Kerala home minister asks police to secure legal advice in the case
Last Updated 29 January 2011, 18:01 IST

Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said here on Saturday that the police had been asked to secure legal advice for reopening the case. ``The revelations of Rauf are serious enough. We will take appropriate measures after a detailed examination of the matter,’’ he said.  Mr Balakrishnan was reacting to demands for reinvestigating the case after Rauf unravelled a series of sabotage steps allegedly scripted by Kunhalikutty to win favourable verdicts from the courts.

Though Mr Kunhalikutty has rejected the allegations saying that these charges had undergone public and legal hair-splitting several times in the past, more revelations have strengthened the chances of reopening the case. An inquiry has already begun into Kunhalikutty’s complaint that Rauf had deputed a criminal gang to finish him off.

As reported, K A Rauf  who is Kunhalikutty’s wife’s sister’s husband was widely believed to have helped him tide over the icecream parlour sex case to which Kunhalikutty was linked. The parlour had served as a front for flesh trade using young girls and many influential persons were linked to it. Though about 18 people were arraigned as accused in the case, they were let-off after witnesses turned hostile.

Statements changed

Rauf has now alleged that two girls who had named Kunhalikutty - Rejina and Rajulla — were paid lakhs of rupees to change their statements and that even the court verdicts were not secured in a straightforward manner.  

Ms K Ajitha of Anweshi who led the campaign in the icecream parlour case alleged on Saturday that Kunhalikutty had tried to influence her through a businessman friend in 2001. ``I was offered the chairpersonship of the Kerala Social Welfare Advisory Board in return for not pursuing the case further,’’ she said in Kozhikode.

The new revelations have not just harmed the image of the UDF, but even the CPM which leads the ruling LDF. Mr P Sasi, who was political secretary of the then Chief Minister E K Nayanar was alleged to have helped Kunhalikutty by stalling his imminent prosecution.

Former director-general of prosecutions Kallada Sukumaran revealed on Saturday that Mr Sasi called him and expressed his displeasure at his legal advice that Kunhalikutty should be prosecuted.

CPI State secretary C K Chandrappan and BJP state president Muralidharan on Saturday demanded a reinvestigation into the case because of the criminal angle that has now surfaced. Chandrappan pointed out that the revelation that court verdicts were also influenced were significant in the context of the allegations rocking the judiciary.

Meanwhile, the UDF tried to put on a brave face in the wake of the new revelations with Opposition leader Oommen Chandy and other leaders parroting Kunhalikutty’s claim that there was nothing new in them. The Indian Union Muslim League has also resolved to stand by its beleaguered general secretary despite the serious allegations that have been levelled against him. 

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(Published 29 January 2011, 18:01 IST)

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