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PoliticsKerala court denies bail to DYFI leader Bhaskaran in 'kafir screenshot' case
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A Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Vadakara, Kerala, denied bail to Jithin Bhaskaran, a local leader of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), in the 'kafir screenshot' case. The case involves the creation and circulation of a WhatsApp screenshot with communal content ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, portraying UDF candidate Shafi Parambil as pious and his LDF rival K.K. Shailaja as a 'kafir' (infidel). The court rejected the defense's argument that the charge was politically motivated and that Bhaskaran had cooperated, citing the early stage of the investigation, the possibility of more culprits, and the risk of evidence tampering. The case gained new momentum after the UDF formed a special investigation team (SIT) to re-investigate, which identified Bhaskaran through questioning of pro-Left social media group admins.
Source report
Source: The Hindu Bureau
The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Vadakara on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of Jithin Bhaskaran, a local leader of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), in the ‘kafir screenshot’ case.
Court Proceedings
According to sources, the court heard arguments related to the case on Monday. Counsel for Mr. Bhaskaran argued that the charge against him was politically motivated and that the DYFI leader had fully cooperated with the police investigation. They also noted that Mr. Bhaskaran’s mobile phone was already in police custody.
However, the prosecution contended that police custody was necessary as more evidence needed to be collected. Although Mr. Bhaskaran’s lawyer claimed that his questioning had been completed, the court rejected this argument.
The court took into consideration that:
- The investigation was still in its early stages
- There was a possibility of involvement of more culprits
- There was a risk of the suspect destroying vital evidence if released
Background of the Case
The case relates to the creation and circulation of a WhatsApp screenshot with communal content ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in the Vadakara constituency. The election pitted the United Democratic Front’s (UDF) Shafi Parambil against the Left Democratic Front’s K.K. Shailaja.
The screenshot, purportedly in the name of Muslim Students’ Federation district secretary P.K. Mohammed Khasim, portrayed Mr. Parambil as a religious and pious youth while depicting his political rival as a ‘kafir’ (infidel).
Previous Investigation
Although police had initially investigated the case and both a Vadakara court and the High Court had issued orders related to it, the probe made little progress. The police could only determine that Ribesh Ramakrishnan, then a DYFI leader, had circulated the screenshot. However, they could not prove who created it.
The case gained fresh momentum after the UDF came to power, when a special investigation team (SIT) was formed to re-investigate. The SIT identified Mr. Bhaskaran following detailed questioning of administrators of pro-Left social media groups.
Source
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Regional
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