SRINAGAR: In a new twist to the Kashmir sex scandal, Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig on Wednesday alleged that some "powerful people" were trying to "scuttle and hush up" the Central Bureau of Investigation enquiry into the matter.

Mr. Baig said the Jammu and Kashmir Government was contemplating an amendment of the law and making life imprisonment the maximum punishment for such an offence.

Mr. Baig gave a detailed account of six cases registered under the Immoral Trafficking Act in Srinagar since 2002 to counter allegations against the former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, that he hushed up a similar case in 2004.

He said some powerful people released fake lists to blackmail people and create confusion, and also targeted Mr. Sayeed to derail the investigations.

`Sayeed did not know'

Referring to a particular case in which Sabeena, the kingpin in the present case was arrested along with nine others, Mr. Baig said the case was registered on October 14, 2004 and the final report was given in just ten days time. "On November 18, 2004 all records were given to the High Court, and the court reserved the judgment on April 28, 2005. There is no question of hushing up the case by the Government led by Mr. Sayeed. And I am confident in saying that Mr. Sayeed did not at all know about the case and that politicians and officers were involved in it."

Even if the allegation was true, it might have happened at the level of officers.

Mr. Baig said in the present case, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad endorsed its handing over to the CBI as he (Mr. Baig) wrote to him and supported such a move as names of at least 22 police officers had surfaced. Mr. Baig refused to divulge the names of those involved.

"Director-General and Inspector-General of Police told me that the case was minor and was being blown out of proportion. We will know about that after CBI completes its investigation. But it is a very sensitive issue," he said. Mr. Baig expressed hope that the CBI enquiry would bring facts to the fore and "the guilty will be dealt with severely" in accordance with the law.

`Model law'

Mr. Baig said the coalition Government was concerned about the issue. "We cannot permit prostitution in this state. And we are examining the possibility of changing the punishment to life imprisonment from three years." Deliberations on the subject would start soon, he said. "We want that it becomes a model law for the rest of country."

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