Days after AK Saseendran was acquitted in the sleaze tape case and was reinstated as Transport Minister of Kerala, a CBI probe has been sought before the Kerala High Court into the circumstances leading up to this.
The plea has been filed by SV Pradeep, who is a senior news editor at Mangalam TV news channel.
In the petition that is filed, it is stated that, "The petitioner has no iota of doubt that he presented a news item which was said to be cent per cent genuine by the 8th accused (woman journalist). Now it became fake news only because 7th respondent (Saseendran) and the 8th respondent colluded together and settled the case, though many evidences were found against the 7th respondent. Now there arises a lot of questions/doubts regarding the infamous 'sleaze tape' case which is to be investigated by an independent agency and real facts to be brought out before the public.”
The petitioner has alleged that Saseendran was using his political power to procure an affidavit from the woman 'journalist' to discharge him from the allegations of sexual harassment.
The petitioner added that the investigation conducted by the state police was not proper as they are under the spell of political power and the probe will not fetch any result.
Saseendran was Transport Minister until March 2017 when newly-launched Malayalam news channel Mangalam TV aired an audio tape where a man was speaking inappropriately with a woman.
The channel alleged the voice was that of Saseendran, and that he had called the woman and spoken to her for sexual favours.
On January 29, the Thiruvananthapuram First Class Judicial Magistrate Court acquitted Saseendran, paving the way for a ministerial seat.
AK Saseendran was sworn in again as the Transport Minister on February 1.