Alappuzha (Kerala) | A case has been registered against certain Facebook pages, which allegedly engaged in "false propaganda" that former Aroor MLA Shanimol Usman would quit Congress and join CPI(M), police said on Saturday.

The case was registered by Alappuzha South Police, based on a complaint filed by the senior Congress leader, against the pages named "Communist Kerala" and "John Brittas Fans Group" for allegedly spreading false and misleading content, they added.

The complaint was filed after widespread posts appeared on social media suggesting that the woman leader would leave the grand old party.

The posts also falsely claimed that Usman was quitting the Congress following differences with the leadership over the issue of the party's expelled MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, and she had held talks with Industries Minister P Rajeev, and even contacted the chief minister over the phone in this regard.

According to the FIR, the case was registered against unknown persons under section 356 (2) (defamation) of BNS, and section 120 (o) of the Kerala Police Act (causing nuisance or annoyance to the public through communication).

It is alleged that the accused posted the photo of the complainant and the misleading content against her on the said FB pages and circulated it with an intention to defame her, the FIR said.