Court acquits all accused in Kerala sex racket case

Thiruvananthapuram: A court in Kerala yesterday acquitted all the 17 accused in a sex racket case that had rocked the state's political scene.

The case, in which one Sreedevi was charged with enticing girls into a sex racket run from an ice cream parlour in Kozhikode, had created serious rumblings in the state politics, forcing P.K. Kunhalikutty of the Indian Union Muslim League to resign as minister in charge of industries and information and technology.

The Kozhikode assistant sessions court had completed the hearing on January 9.

The case was spearheaded by social activist K. Ajitha, who also heads the Anweshi Women's Counselling Centre. Ajitha had lodged a complaint against Sreedevi, alleging that she was running a sex racket.

As the case inched forward, matters took on a political colour, especially after key witness Rejina claimed that Kunhalikutty had sexually assaulted her.

The allegation was particularly serious as Rejina was a minor at the time of the alleged sexual assault.

Kunhalikutty maintained that he was innocent, but mounting protests against him forced him to lay down his office.

The case also saw several key witnesses including Rejina turning hostile.

The move considerably benefited the accused.

In a last ditch effort, Ajitha had prayed to the court to examine six other witnesses including former commissioner of Kozhikode Neera Rawat, poet and social activist Sugathakumai and four others. But the court rejected the petition, pointing out that it would only be a waste of time. Ajitha had also sought action against the witnesses who turned hostile.

Activists to contest verdict

Social activist and Anweshi Women's Counselling Centre president K. Ajitha and opposition leader V.S. Achuthanandan, who were at the forefront of the ice cream parlour sex racket case, have said they would contest the verdict.

"The verdict is not a loss for just Ajitha but for all wronged women, and we will continue to pursue the fight for justice. We will take up the case at a national level, like the Best Bakery case," Ajitha said.