IUML State leaders who meet here at League House denied reports of difference within the party. “Whatever may be the misunderstanding within the party it over now”, party national president E. Ahamed told TIA
State President Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal also confirmed that all the issues have been resolved through discussion.
The controversy erupted following telecast of a sting operation in which P K Kunhalikutty, general secretary of the party had been accused of sexually abusing a minor girl who, however, withdrew the allegation later.
Kunhalikutty’s Co- brother (husband of sister in law) K A Rauf, who had allegedly helped cover up the scandal when it broke nearly 13 years ago now says he did pay bribes to help protect him.
Malayalam news channel India vision sting operation shows that a former additional director-general of prosecution accusing two former Kerala High Court judges of being bribed by Kunhalikutty.
It showed K C Peter, former additional director-general of prosecution, saying that Kerala High Court judges K Narayana Kurup and K Thankappan had been bribed to rule in favour of Kunhalikutty.
Interestingly state secretary of the party Dr. M. K. Muneer, is the Chairman of the channel. This has created more confusion and misunderstanding among the leaders and workers of the party.
IUML has alleged that the sting operation was part of a conspiracy to defame Kunhalikutty and IUML, and office of Kerala Chief Minister is also involved in this conspiracy.
In 1997, a woman approached Anweshi, a counseling centre in Kozhikode run by former Naxal K Ajitha, to complain about a thriving flesh racket
that was using an ice-cream parlour as a front. Subsequent police investigations revealed that the racket involved several women, including minors, with politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen and lawyers as their clients. The police named as accused 16 people, including parlour owner Sreedevi and Kunhalikutty’s driver Aravinthakshan.
Later the police were accused of covering up the involvement of many others including Kunhalikutty. The case went through various stages before a district court acquitted all the accused. Anweshi appealed in 2007, the High Court upheld the acquittal, and since then the case was believed closed, till it resurfaced because of two reasons.
In 2004 the prime witness told the media that Kunhalikutty had abused her while she had been a minor. Her initial court statement had not indicted the leader but she now said she was ready to change it. It was Rauf who reportedly went into damage control and spent a lot of money to save the leader.The girl changed her version again, making no charge against Kunhalikutty.
Kunhalikutty however said that he was facing death threats from Rauf. “Rauf is trying to blackmail me by using a forged video CD,” he said.
“Though I am Chairman of India Vision TV, I am also a sincere worker and State Secretary of my Party. When this controversial news aired by India Vision it put me in a difficult situation. I myself took initiative to apprise the situation to my leaders”, Basher said while adding that he was not resigning from the post because of certain legal and financial issues.
“I clarified everything to my party. My party and leaders realized my position. Whatever decision my party takes I would abide by it” said Dr. Muneer, who was also present at the press conference.
Meanwhile Kunhalikutty Sunday handed over evidence about the conspiracy against him in the sex scandal case to leader of the opposition Oommen Chandy.
Reports say that the evidence comprises of the proof of the telephonic conversation between a TV channel reporter and Rouf, Kunhalikutty’s relative, documents on the conspiracy meeting held at a hotel room in Kochi and the statements of a few persons.
Oommen Chandy later told media persons that Kunhalikutty handed over the proof of the conspiracy to him. He said that the next UDF meeting will discuss the material and they will be released after the meeting.