Kozhikode: The eight-year-old ice cream parlour sex racket case took yet another turn today (Dec 2, 2004) with a key witness alleging that she was forced by three persons to retract her earlier statement that Kerala Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty had sexually harassed her.

"I was forced by three persons to change my version soon after appearing before a court here recently...but please don't ask their names now," Rejina, a victim and prime witness in the case, told reporters in Kozhikode. Rejina made the fresh revelations to journalists before a private TV channel office after reaching there on her own.

She alleged that the letter given by her to the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court last month after she was arrested in another pending case relating to attempt to suicide and her remarks just before leaving the court premises that Ajitha, President of 'Anweshi' an NGO, compelled her to make the fresh charges were all because of 'pressure' from these three persons.

"I will certainly disclose their names at the appropriate time and place," Rejina said adding that she was not keen to reveal the names now as she feared for her and her child's life.

Rejina also claimed that she was literate enough to read and write. Earlier, she had said that she could not do so.

Stating that her family members, including her mother and another person, Pramod, claiming to be her husband, had already disowned her, Rejina said, "Now I have no place to go."