The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing charges of alleged sabotage of the investigation into the sensational ice cream parlour sex scandal, approached a local court here to wind up the case as “no evidence has been found to substantiate the allegations.”
Deputy Superintendent of Police Jaison P. Abraham, who led the SIT, sought the permission of the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court here to wind up the investigation for lack of evidence.
There is no proof to show that Minister for Industries PK Kunhalikutty had sabotaged the ice cream parlour case, the report, submitted in the court six days back, said.
Former Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of VS Achuthanandan had constituted a special investigation team to go into the allegations raised by KA Rauf, an estranged close confidante of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) senior leader and the minister for industries.
In his startling revelations at a press conference here on Jan. 28, 2011, which shook state politics, Rauf claimed that he had enough proof to back his allegations against his relative Kunhalikutty.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Jaison P. Abraham, who led the SIT, sought the permission of the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court here to wind up the investigation for lack of evidence.
There is no proof to show that Minister for Industries PK Kunhalikutty had sabotaged the ice cream parlour case, the report, submitted in the court six days back, said.
Former Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of VS Achuthanandan had constituted a special investigation team to go into the allegations raised by KA Rauf, an estranged close confidante of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) senior leader and the minister for industries.
In his startling revelations at a press conference here on Jan. 28, 2011, which shook state politics, Rauf claimed that he had enough proof to back his allegations against his relative Kunhalikutty.
According to Rauf, Kunhalikutty used money and muscle power to influence judges, government counsels and witnesses to manipulate the outcome of investigations and judgments in his favour.
Rauf claimed that he was the operator through whom Kunhalikutty tried to influence these persons.
He also revealed that huge amounts of money changed hands in the operation.
Rauf also gave statements before the court repeating his allegations.
SIT questioned almost 150 persons including Kunhalikutty, Justices K. Narayana Kurup, K. Thankappan, former Advocate general MK Damodaran and former Additional Advocate General VK Beeran.
Almost hundred documents had been examined. High Court has also examined the case diary.
Fearing that the investigation by the SIT was not going in right direction, VS had approached the high court seeking a copy of the investigation report.
On Dec. 22, 2011 government submitted the case diary and progress report in two sealed envelops to the High Court.
Achuthanandan sought the copy of the report on March 6 and on May 2 and the division bench rejected his petition. Later the high court returned the case diary and report to the SIT.
An appeal by Achuthanandan is pending before the Supreme Court in this regard.
Reacting to the latest development, Rauf told media persons in Kochi that he would approach a higher court if needed.
“I do not understand how the SIT reached this conclusion. I stick to my earlier statements that the case was sabotaged by Kunhalikutty. At this point I have no reasons to retract the confidence I had deposed in the SIT. If needed I will approach higher courts,” Rauf said.
IUML state general secretary KPA Majeed said in Malappuram on Sunday that the report is genuine and welcome.
“The investigation team was appointed by then chief minister VS Achuthanandan. This is an example of an innocent man hunted down for no fault of his,” Majeed said.
The case dates back to 1995-96 and according to a petition submitted to the then chief minister by Anweshi president K. Ajitha, teenaged girls were lured into an ice cream parlour situated at Kozhikode Beach and were subjected to sexual exploitation by high profile individuals including the minister.
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