The Kerala High Court, under Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, has directed the state police to delve deeper into the origins of the controversial ‘kafir’ campaign that emerged just before the Lok Sabha polls in Vadakara, causing a significant political stir. The campaign has led to mutual recriminations between the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF).
The court’s directive came after observations that some individuals, whose names surfaced during the initial probe based on their statements to the police, had not yet been interrogated. Justice Thomas ordered that these individuals be questioned and also directed the investigative team to consider including charges of forgery intended to harm reputations into the ongoing case.
The legal proceedings began following a petition by Muhammad Khasim P K, who argued that the current charges—sections 153A of the Indian Penal Code (promoting enmity between different groups) and 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act (causing nuisance through communication)—were insufficient. He is pressing for a thorough investigation into the origins and impact of the ‘kafir’ campaign, which included a social media post discouraging votes for LDF candidate K K Shailaja by labeling her a “non-believer.”
During the court session, the government reported progress in the investigation, noting that mobile phones had been seized and sent for forensic analysis. However, the police expressed concerns that further judicial observations might impact the ongoing investigation adversely. The matter is scheduled for additional hearing on September 6.
