Thiruvananthapuram: A complaint has been submitted to the Director General of Police (DGP) demanding a detailed investigation into a fake social media post allegedly circulated to defame Kerala Public Works Minister P.K. Basheer and spread misinformation among the public.
The complaint was filed by P.P. Safarulla, president of the Muslim League’s Eranad constituency committee, who accused unidentified individuals of creating and disseminating fabricated content using the branding of a prominent Malayalam news organisation. According to the complaint, the post falsely appeared to be a genuine news report and was intended to damage the reputation of the minister and the state government.
The controversial post was reportedly shared through a Facebook account named “Jafar K.T. Pulikkal.” It carried a sensational headline relating to deaths caused by an infectious disease and featured the logo of Malayala Manorama, the website address “manoramanews.com,” and the date June 21, 2026, in an apparent attempt to make the content appear authentic.
Minister Basheer’s office has categorically denied the claims contained in the post, describing it as a fabricated and misleading creation with no connection to either the minister or the media organisation whose identity was allegedly misused. Officials said the use of a reputed news brand’s logo and website address was a deliberate attempt to lend credibility to false information.
The complaint alleges that the circulation of the post not only sought to malign the minister but also had the potential to create public anxiety by spreading inaccurate information about infectious disease-related deaths. It further contends that presenting fabricated content as a legitimate news report amounts to a serious misuse of social media platforms.
Safarulla has urged the police to invoke relevant legal provisions relating to forgery, defamation, creation of false documents and dissemination of misleading information. He has also requested the Cyberdome and Cyber Crime Cell to identify the individuals responsible for creating and sharing the post, remove the content from social media platforms and initiate appropriate legal action against those involved.
