Ice-cream parlour case: SIT submits probe report

Monday, January 30, 2012: Kochi: The Special Investigation Team, set up by Kerala government to probe fresh allegations against Industries Minister PK Kunhalikutty in the Ice cream parlour scandal case, on Monday filed its final report in the High Court.
The report was submitted in a sealed cover before a division bench, comprising Chief Justice Manjulla Chellur and Justice PR Ramachandran Menon.
SIT chief Vinson M Paul, Additional DGP (Crime) was also present in the court.
The probe was ordered by the previous LDF government headed by VS Achuthanandan following fresh allegations made by KA Rauf, an estranged relative of Kunahlikutty, who alleged that the minister had allegedly destroyed evidence and used money to influence witnesses and fabricate evidence in the case in 2006.
Two former judges — Justices K Narayana Kurup and K Thankappan, former advocate general MK Damodaran, former state Attorney PC Iype were among those questioned by the SIT.
The case, which surfaced during the late 1990s, relates to allegations that an ice cream parlour in Kozhikode was used to lure young women into prostitution.
Kunhalikutty, who was a minister in the previous UDF government, had to quit in 2004 following the allegations. He, however, did not figure as accused in the case.
Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan had also filed a petition in the High Court seeking a CBI probe into the case, which was earlier dismissed by the court.