A K Saseendran meets CM, says government will order probe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Transport Minister A K Saseendran, who resigned following allegations of sexual misconduct, met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here today and said that the state government would order a probe into the matter.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Saseendran said he told Vijayan that there was something "unnatural" in the news report of his purported phone talks with a woman, a clip of which was leaked by a television channel yesterday.

"The Chief Minister will order a probe. But who will (conduct) the probe and how many days it will take for it to be over, I do not know," he said.

To another question, he said the ministerial post was not important to him, but he wanted his innocence to be proved.

State DGP Loknath Behara also held discussions with the Chief Minister at the Secretariat this morning.

Behara said he had not received any complaint so far on the allegation against Saseendran.

Yesterday, a Malayalam television channel had released an audio clip, purported to be that of Saseendran, conversing with a woman in sexual undertones.

Meanwhile, NCP state president Uzhavoor Vijayan said a party meeting would be held tomorrow in view of the developments.

The NCP has two MLAs in the assembly -- Saseendran and Thomas Chandy.

Asked if his party would stake claim to fill the ministerial post following Saseendran's resignation, he said, "A decision will be taken tomorrow on whether or not to have a minister."