KC Venugopal Targeted in Facebook Posts, Case Registered Against Five People

Alappuzha: A case has been registered against five people over allegedly defamatory and objectionable Facebook posts targeting AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, police said on Monday.

The case was registered by the Alappuzha Cyber Police following a complaint filed by advocate and Congress leader Johnson Abraham. According to police, the alleged posts were uploaded on different dates between May 11 and July 19.

What does the police complaint allege?

Police have alleged that the social media posts contained objectionable material targeting Venugopal and were intended to create hatred and provoke a breach of public peace.

The five people have been booked under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Kerala Police Act. The allegations include circulating false information with an intention to promote enmity, deliberately provoking people in a manner that could lead to a riot and causing public nuisance.

The allegations remain subject to investigation, and the registration of a case does not by itself establish guilt.

Posts emerged amid Kerala CM discussions

According to police, the Facebook posts were made during discussions over who could become the next chief minister following the UDF's victory in the Kerala Assembly election.

Venugopal was among the Congress leaders whose names were discussed in connection with the chief ministerial post. The social media activity allegedly targeted his candidature during that period, police said.

Complaint had been submitted earlier

Reports said Johnson Abraham had earlier approached the state police chief with details of five social media accounts allegedly involved in the posts. After no action was taken for a period, he reportedly submitted another representation to the state Home Minister.

Following directions from the Home Minister, the Cyber Division IG was assigned to look into the complaint, after which the Alappuzha Cyber Crime Police registered the case.

Police have collected details of the accounts and posts in question and are expected to question the people named in the case as part of the investigation.

Social media activity under scrutiny

The case comes amid heightened political activity and internal discussions within Kerala's Congress-led political camp following the Assembly election. The police action specifically concerns allegations relating to Facebook posts targeting Venugopal.

The investigation will determine the circumstances in which the posts were created and circulated and whether the alleged offences are established.