The public prosecutor in a sex racket case involving a minor victim and 150-odd accused has been removed for allegedly trying to scuttle the prosecution.
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Police said the prosecutor Ayub Khan had allegedly promised to help some of the accused in the Paravur sex scandal case in lieu of money. They added that they had details of phone calls between Khan and some of the accused. As some accused are still absconding, the prosecutor allegedly tried to contact them through middlemen.
Khan was working as an assistant for advocate Mohan Menon, who is the special public prosecutor in the case. Police had submitted 54 chargesheets considering the number of accused in the scandal. Khan had appeared for a few cases in which the trial was over. The public prosecutor refuted the allegations, but the Home Department has ordered a probe.
The Paravur sex scandal had surfaced in early 2011 in which a minor girl hailing from Paravur was first abused by her father and later pushed into flesh trade. Several women who acted as pimps were also arrested in the case, the probe into which is still going on. The girl was first abused in 2009 and the ordeal lasted for nearly one-and-half years. The accused comprise small-time film professionals, government employees, NRIs, businessmen and retired men.
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India.
Expertise, Experience, and Authority
Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes:
Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.
Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules.
Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
