Thiruvananthapuram | The Kerala government on Wednesday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the controversial 'kafir screenshot' cases that triggered a political storm during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign in Vadakara constituency.
According to a Home Department order, the SIT has been formed to conduct a thorough, effective and sustained investigation into two cases registered at Vadakara Police Station in Kozhikode district in connection with the circulation of controversial social media messages during the election period.
One of the cases relates to the alleged dissemination of messages against the then Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate, K K Shailaja, through social media with the intention of creating communal polarisation.
The second case concerns allegations that unknown persons created fake messages in the name of the complainant and circulated them on social media with the intention of creating unrest and disturbing public peace.
The controversy centred around a social media post circulated ahead of the Vadakara Lok Sabha election, which allegedly urged people not to vote for Shailaja, describing her as a "kafir" (non-believer).
The CPI(M) had accused Congress-led UDF workers and its candidate Shafi Parambil of "creating and spreading the objectionable content", while the UDF alleged that local CPI(M) leaders and workers were behind the campaign.
As per the order, the SIT will be headed by the Kozhikode Rural District Police Chief, while Kozhikode Rural Crime Branch DySP T Manoharan has been appointed as the Chief Investigating Officer, the order said.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Kannur Range, will oversee the investigation and has been authorised to induct additional officers into the SIT if required.
The government order said the head of the SIT would keep the Police Headquarters informed about developments in the case and submit fortnightly progress reports.
The decision to reopen the investigation comes after the previous probe, conducted during the tenure of the LDF government, was reportedly concluded without identifying the accused.
The present development follows a recent request by Congress MLA Parakkal Abdulla, who had written to State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala seeking the constitution of an SIT and a fresh investigation into the matter.
