M A I N   N E W S

Sex ‘scandal’: minister quits

KOCHI, Feb 12 (PTI, UNI) — In an embarrassing jolt to the CPM-led ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala, state Transport Minister A Neelalohita Dasan Nadar today submitted his resignation letter to Chief Minister E.K.Nayanar in the wake of allegations against the minister of sexual misbehaviour raised by a woman IAS officer.

After several hours of high drama, the minister met the Chief Minister, who is camping here, and handed over his resignation after his party (Janata Dal-S), a constituent of the ruling front, formally accepted the minister’s offer to quit.

The Chief Minister, who addressed reporters immediately after receiving Dr Nadar’s letter, said all other questions including ordering a judicial inquiry into the allegations by IAS official Nalini Netto, former Transport Secretary, as demanded by the Janata Dal (S), would be discussed and decided by the Cabinet.

In her complaint on February 1 to Mr Nayanar, she narrated the details regarding the “sexual and official harassment” by the minister with her on December 21, 1999, at the minister’s office in the Assembly complex where she was called for discussing official matters.

“I have not received any complaint from Ms Prakruthi Srivastava, Divisional Forest Officer, Nilambur. I have only read newspaper reports about it,” the Chief Minister said. Ms Srivastava had also accused Dr Nadar of making sexual overtures to her.