Sex Scandal: Oppn leader blasts govt

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A police officer involved in three sexual assault cases should never have been appointed to investigate the Kilirur sex scandal, said Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan on Sunday.
The state government had asked a circle inspector involved in three sexual assault cases to "investigate" the Kilirur sex scandal case whose victim, a teenager mother named Shaari Nair, died in a Kottayam hospital on Saturday.The government has sought a CBI inquiry now.
He said the fact that the circle inspector was later divested of the probe and it was handed over to Deputy Inspector General R Sreelekha did not lessen the seriousness of the matter. A police officer facing three such charges should never have been given a grave crime like a teenager girl''s wanton sexploitation by prominent people.
Achuthanandan said leading people in televison channel, cinema, police department, jewellery business and tourism had figured in the original complaint of the girl as well as that of her father. Later the police submitted to the court the complaint minus one important page that contained names. It was on the court''s indictment circle inspector Sunil was removed from investigation.
Stating that it was like entrusting the key to the thief itself, the senior Marxist blasted the Congress coalition (UDF) government for "covering up" a case that could unveil the mask of many shakers and movers of society.
Shaari Nair, a young girl from a poor family in Kilirur, Kottayam, was reportedly lured away by a relative on the promise of giving her a break in television serials but was initiated into a flesh market catering to the people in higher stations in life. She died after waging a battle for life over three months. She delivered a baby girl on August 15 and she never recovered from a series ailment she contracted in the hospital. The parents had earlier claimed that their daughter was fairly healthy and they suspected foul play by the private hospital. Achuthanandan, echoing the parental sentiments, said the treatment given to the girl was not above board.
However the state Health Minister K K Ramachandran Master said he had ordered very expensive drugs to be brought from abroad for the girl''s treatment. He, however, could not answer if he was sure that the drug thus summoned was indeed used on the girl.
"The team probing the case has not yet received the victim''s mobile phone as well as the diary of the main accused Latha Nair. The phone which received an amount of Rs 49,000 as bill was later taken by Latha Nair, who is now in jail for the charge", Achuthanandan pointed out.
Meanwhile, Sree Vedi (women forum) activists took out a protest procession in the Capital and held dharna before the secretariat demanding ouster of a minister involved in sex crime and resignation of the chief minister who is generally perceived to be protecting the sex offenders.