Kerala to probe whether 'Kiss of Love' used as shield for sex racket

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said on Thursday that the state government would investigate whether the controversial 'Kiss of Love' protest, held in the state last year, was used as a shield for sex trade or other such unlawful activities.

His statement comes a day after six people, including organisers of the protest Rahul Pasupalan and his model wife Reshmi R Nair, were arrested in connection with an online prostitution case in Kochi.

"There is a big network behind the online sex trade in the state. The investigation will continue and all those involved in it will be brought before the law," Chennithala told reporters in New Delhi.

"Those who had been in the front of 'Kiss of Love' protest are among the key accused in the case. It is evident that they will go any extent to meet their selfish motives. We will investigate whether the protest was used as a shield for any such unlawful activities," he said.

However, the minister said he did not believe that all those who participated in the protest, against moral policing, had such intention. Rahul and Reshmi besides others were arrested in simultaneous raids conducted in various parts of the state. The couple's six-year-old son was also with them when they were arrested from a hotel near Nedumbassery airport in Kochi on Wednesday.

Cases under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code, Section 67 of the Information Technology Act and provisions under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act were registered against those arrested.

As many as 20 mobile phones, two cars and a tablet were among items found, police said.

Image used for representational purposes only.