Chief Justice B. Subhashan Reddy and judge Cyriac Joseph, constituting a division bench, finished hearing the suits - two filed by individuals and one by a women's group - demanding the minister's sacking and reinvestigation of the sex abuse case.

The suits were filed after 22-year-old Regina alleged she had been sexually abused by Kunhalikutty thrice eight years back.

Earlier in the day, former state Congress chief K. Muraleedharan demanded the party executive be convened to discuss the issue, claiming it had affected the United Democratic Front (UDF) government's image.

Meanwhile, UDF convenor P.P. Thankachen, another Congress leader, lashed out at the opposition Left Democratic Front that is agitating demanding the minister's removal.

He asked: "What they (LDF) forget is that this case was investigated while they were in power and that they had given a clean chit to Kunhalikutty and now they have declared war. Is this fair?"