The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : CPI(M) slams Government

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Friday, Dec 23, 2005

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

CPI(M) slams Government

Special Correspondent

Kozhikode ice-cream parlour sex scandal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPI(M) State committee, which met here on Thursday, expressed its concern over the circumstances that had led to the key witnesses in the ice-cream parlour sex scandal case turning hostile en masse.

In a statement, the party said those wielding power in the UDF Government engineered this sudden turn in the attitude of the witnesses. The Government was using all its powers to save the culprits, who included some top UDF politicians, the CPI(M) said.

"The activities of mafia groups indulging in flesh trade have assumed dangerous dimensions in the State during the four-and-a-half years of the UDF Government's current term so far. This is primarily due to the protection these groups receive from the Government," the CPI(M) said.

The party said that the culprits involved in the ice-cream parlour sex scandal case had been using their money power and muscle power to influence the witnesses right from the time the details of the racket became public.

Witnesses themselves had openly narrated the particulars of the tactics employed by the culprits.

The public outcry following the revelations of one of the witnesses had forced the former Industries Minister P. K. Kunhalikutty to quit the Cabinet, the CPI(M) said.

However, the Government continued its efforts to save those involved in the crime.

The public prosecutor appointed by the Government went to the extent of publicly arguing the case on behalf of the accused. This prompted the High Court to even remark that the public prosecutor should be changed.

The High Court had also expressed the opinion that Mr. Kunhalikutty's name could be added to the list of the accused during the course of the ongoing trial in the lower court, if necessary.

There were efforts on the part of the culprits to manipulate the records maintained in the school where one of the victims of the sex racket Rejina had studied to make it appear that she was not a minor at the time when she was allegedly sexually abused by those involved in the ice-cream parlour sex scandal case, the CPI(M) said.

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