Key witness in Kerala sex scam retracts statements

In keeping with the numerous twists and turns in the nearly 8-year-old Kozhikode ice cream parlour sex scandal, Regina, a key witness, yesterday retracted her statements.

Regina, who had earlier accused the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader and Industries Minister P.K. Kunjhalikutty of sexually abusing her, said yesterday that she had made the statement under duress.

"I do not know Kunjhalikutty. I have never seen him," said Regina, who has repeatedly told police, courts and media people that she was sexually abused by the minister three times in Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram and Shornoor when she was a minor.

She looked dejected and withdrawn on Friday, but yesterday she was all smiles and a bit aggressive. Asked why she was often retracting her statements, she said: "I will say many things and also change them. That is my style … But what I say in court alone will count."

Regina, who put Kunjhalikutty in the dock on Friday, said her earlier statement denying her charges against him was made because of pressure from three people, including her mother. She said she would not reveal the names of the other two, except in a court of law. She also said then that her life was in danger. She vowed to stand by the statement against the minister.

Only last week, Regina appeared before the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court-IV here to give a written statement in the sex scandal when the court was hearing a petition in connection with her attempted suicide.

However Judge P. Sasidharan refused to give her permission stating that she had nothing to do with the petition.

Records show that the number of statements made by Regina justified the ongoing anti-Kunjhalikutty campaign.

She first testified before Kozhikode City Police Commissioner Neerawath that several people including the Minister had had sex with her.

Subsequently, the Nadakkavu police registered a case. In this case diary, too, sexual torture charges are repeated.

Regina repeated the same statement before the then State Women Commission Chairperson and poet Sugathakumari.

And then for the first time she retracted her statements and claimed that she had made the earlier statements under pressure.

Then after years of calm, Regina reappeared before the media and repeated her initial disclosures that she was sexually abused by the minister in three places.

Then she gave a letter to the magistrate stating that she was retracting her statements under pressure.

The court rejected the letter which she wanted the court to hand over to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

Outside the court, she shouted that she had testified against the minister at the behest of Anweshi president and former Naxalite Agitha.