Complaints pour in as police mull case against 'honey-trap journalism'

Even after the resignation of CK Saseendran from the Pinarayi Vijayan Ministry following the sex-talk scandal, the police did not initiate an investigation for want of a formal complaint. The former minister, for some unknown reasons, had not come up with a complaint, even after a lapse of four days.

Legal experts had pointed out that the police could take suo-moto case into the scandal. However, the police hesitated, citing that they have not received any complaint yet. So, people have taken initiative to raise valid plaints to the authorities. Now, complaints are pouring in against the alleged honey-trap by the Mangalam News channel, which aired the audio-clip.   Chief Minister and State Police Chief have received numerous plaints and memorandums so far, mostly from women journalists.

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 A group of woman journalists’ submitted petition to Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday demanding an investigation against the unethical and exploitative mode of journalism adopted by the channel. Some individuals have also filed similar complaints, alleging that the news channel was forcing women journalists to do honey-trap journalism. The youth wing of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also filed a complaint.

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A special team of the police is likely to be formed to investigate the scandal and the controversy behind in parallel to the judicial investigation.
 

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Meanwhile, two young journalists have quit the news channel, which was officially launched on Sunday, protesting against the honey-trap incident. Mangalam News denied the allegations of a honey-trap operation.

Soon after the news channel aired on Sunday the audio clip of the sex talk allegedly by AK Saseendran, the senior NCP leader resigned from the LDF ministry. In the absence of a formal complaint, the police could not formally start an investigation into the incident. The state government announced a judicial probe into the scandal on Wednesday. The terms of reference of the investigation included the conspiracy part as well.

• Honey-trap journalism
• AK Saseendran
• sleaze call leak