'No CBI probe into ice cream parlour sex case'

Kochi, Aug 30: The Kerala High Court on Friday dismissed the petition of Leader of Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan seeking a CBI probe in the Kozhikode ice-cream parlour sex case allegedly involving Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty.

Achuthanandan had approached the high court stating that the investigation in the case following fresh disclosures made by K.A. Rauf, a close relative of Kunhalikutty, in 2011, was not done in the right manner and hence only a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe could bring out the truth.

Chief Justice Manjula Chellur, while dismissing Achuthanandan's plea, however, noted that even though the court was not going into the details of the investigation, from what had been pointed out on the lapses in the probe, it appeared to be grave and the petitioner could approach the magistrate's court if he had any grievance.

This is the second time in nearly two years that Achuthanandan's petition seeking a CBI probe has been dismissed, the first being on Sep 27, 2011.

The new disclosures by Rauf had come a few months ahead of the April 2011 assembly polls and Achuthanandan, as the then chief minister, had ordered a fresh probe by a senior police officer.

The alleged sex racket in early 1990s involved an ice-cream parlour in Kozhikode as its base and was flagged the "ice cream parlour sex case" by the media.

Since then, the case has been vigorously taken up by Achuthanandan and it was dismissed by the Supreme Court, which gave a clean chit to Kunhalikutty, an Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader.