Threats won146;t work

We report facts. Those who fear the truth in the Srinagar sex abuse case must know this

IT8217;S for the second time in the last six days that this newspaper has received an intimidatory call over its Srinagar sex scandal expose. Both serve as a reminder that there are some very powerful people in the capital of J038;K who have reason to fear that their involvement in a sordid affair involving the trafficking of minors will become public knowledge. So they do what the cowardly invariably do: they blackmail and threaten. For them, and for their sponsors, we have a simple message: this tack has never worked with

the Express in the past, and it won8217;t work now.

The case has become something of a litmus test for the Ghulam Nabi Azad government, which had claimed its right to form the government last year and had promised an effective and transparent administration. If we are to go by the facts of the sex scandal reported last Saturday, however, more than a few in this state administration appear to be more employed in sexual capers than anything else. Investigations into the case involving the forced pornographic filming of a minor girl revealed a full-fledged sex racket run ostensibly for the benefit of the local elite 8212; including politicians in the ruling coalition, senior police officers, local businessmen, and even senior personnel of the BSF.

The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister acknowledges that the trafficking of minors is an extremely serious crime and has promised that the guilty will be investigated. The J038;K director general of police has also vowed 8220;strict action8221;. We hope that this will indeed be the case for the government8217;s sake. Its credibility 8212; already under some strain 8212; demands a quick resolution of an issue that could get out of hand. The J038;K High Court will soon take up the case. University students are angry and have launched street protests. Any attempt to airbrush the scandal out of the frame or try and protect the heavyweights involved will only bring more embarrassment to the state government. The guilty must be made to realise that they have no place to hide. The state government should also systematically trace the people behind the threatening calls to the Express and take

action against them. J038;K can certainly benefit from a free and effective media.