Kerala High Court Orders Deeper Probe into 'Kafir' Campaign Ahead of Vadakara Polls

The Kerala High Court has directed the police to identify the source of the controversial 'kafir' campaign that surfaced before the Lok Sabha elections in Vadakara. The campaign led to a blame game between UDF and LDF. The court has requested a thorough investigation and potential inclusion of forgery charges.

The Kerala High Court on Thursday instructed the police to uncover the origin of the contentious 'kafir' campaign, which emerged just hours before the Lok Sabha elections in the Vadakara constituency. The campaign has ignited a blame game between the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF, each accusing the other of masterminding the divisive act.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas noted that some individuals, identified through police statements, have yet to be questioned. The court mandated these persons be interrogated and advised integrating forgery charges intended to harm reputations into the ongoing case.

The petitioner, Muhammad Khasim P K, demanded a comprehensive investigation into the campaign, accusing it of promoting communal discord. Currently, charges under the IPC and the Kerala Police Act apply. The government has announced that mobile phones of suspects have been seized and sent to forensics, pledging continued progress in the investigation.

The controversy surrounds a social media post discouraging votes for LDF candidate K K Shailaja by labeling her as a 'kafir' or non-believer. While the UDF denies any involvement, the LDF accuses them of creating the post. However, police affidavits indicate that the controversial content was circulated on CPI(M) platforms. The case will resume on September 6.

(With inputs from agencies.)