Wire flash
PoliticsKerala court to rule on SIT plea to cancel DYFI leader's bail in 'kafir' screenshot case
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
A court in Kozhikode, Kerala, is set to deliver orders on two key legal matters in the controversial 'kafir screenshot' case. The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Vadakara, will rule on a Special Investigation Team (SIT) petition to cancel the bail of DYFI leader Jithin Bhaskar, who is accused of circulating a screenshot that portrayed Congress candidate Shafi Parambil as a devout Muslim and CPI(M) candidate K.K. Shailaja as a 'kafir' (non-believer), falsely attributing it to a Muslim Youth League worker. The prosecution argues Bhaskar violated bail conditions by posting messages on Facebook that challenged the investigation and could incite public unrest. Separately, the Kozhikode Sessions Court will pronounce its order on the anticipatory bail plea of another DYFI leader, Ribesh Ramakrishnan, who allegedly circulated the screenshot via a WhatsApp group named 'Vadakara Squad'. The case sparked widespread political controversy during the Vadakara Lok Sabha election campaign.
Source report
The Kozhikode Sessions Court is also expected to pronounce its order on the anticipatory bail plea filed by another DYFI leader, Ribesh Ramakrishnan, in connection with the case.
Published - July 17, 2026 04:37 am IST | Kozhikode
By The Hindu Bureau
The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Vadakara, is expected to deliver its order on Friday on a petition filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) seeking the cancellation of bail granted to Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) leader Jithin Bhaskar in the alleged ‘kafir screenshot’ case.
Prosecution’s Arguments
The prosecution argued that after being released on bail, the accused had violated the conditions of his bail by:
- Posting messages on Facebook that allegedly challenged the investigating team
- Attempting to create public unrest
The prosecution also held him responsible for interference with the course of investigation.
Related Proceedings
Meanwhile, the Kozhikode Sessions Court is also expected to pronounce its order on Friday on the anticipatory bail plea filed by another DYFI leader, Ribesh Ramakrishnan, in connection with the case.
Background of the Case
The case, which triggered widespread political controversy in Kerala during the Vadakara Lok Sabha election campaign, pertains to the circulation of a screenshot portraying:
- Congress candidate Shafi Parambil as a devout Muslim
- CPI(M) candidate K.K. Shailaja as a ‘kafir’ (non-believer)
The post was falsely attributed to Muslim Youth League worker Mohammed Kasim.
Allegations Against Jithin Bhaskar
According to the prosecution:
- Mr. Bhaskar, a former member of the DYFI Vadakara Block Committee and the CPI(M) Thuruthi local committee, allegedly sent the controversial screenshot to around 200 recipients using WhatsApp’s broadcast feature
- He attempted to destroy all related digital evidence
- The prosecution submitted that the district forensic division had recovered evidence supporting the allegations
Findings Against Ribesh Ramakrishnan
The SIT had earlier found that Mr. Ramakrishnan also circulated the screenshot through a WhatsApp group named ‘Vadakara Squad’. The probe found that the screenshot was subsequently forwarded to several other WhatsApp groups.
Published - July 17, 2026 04:37 am IST
Source
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Regional
Part of this Story
Kerala 'Kafir' Screenshot Case Rocks CPI(M) After Election Defeat