Find source of 'kafir' campaign: Kerala High Court to police

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the police to find the source of the controversial 'kafir' campaign that was carried out hours before the Lok Sabha polls in Vadakara constituency and sparked a blame game between the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF in the state over who did it.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas also observed that some of the persons whose names were obtained on the basis of statements recorded by the police have not been interrogated.

The court directed that such individuals be interrogated.

It also directed the investigation team to examine the petitioner's contention that the offence of forgery for harming someone's reputation should also be incorporated in the case.

Currently, a case only under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) of the IPC and 120(o) (causing, through any means of communication, a nuisance by repeated or undesirable or anonymous call, letter, writing, message,..) of the Kerala Police Act has been registered, the petitioner -- Muhammad Khasim P K -- told the court.

The petitioner has moved the high court seeking a proper investigation into the 'kafir' campaign.

The issue in question pertains to a social media post put up ahead of the Vadakara election that reportedly asked people not to vote for LDF candidate K K Shailaja as she was a "kafir" (non-believer).

During the hearing on Thursday, the government told the court that it has seized mobile phones of various persons and sent the same to forensics.

It also said that the investigation in the case was progressing well.

The police further told the court that observations by it regarding the investigation will adversely affect the probe.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on September 6.

The Congress and UDF have been claiming right from the start that the 'kafir' campaign was aimed at creating a communal divide among the people of Vadakara just ahead of the polls merely to get votes.

They had denied any involvement with the creation or spreading of the controversial post.

The LDF has blamed the Congress and the UDF for creating the post.

However, an affidavit filed by the police in the Kerala High Court reportedly states that the post in question was circulated on some CPI(M) online pages and WhatsApp groups.