The special investigation team (SIT) probing the Vadakara ‘kafir’ screenshot case has issued a notice to Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) leader Ribesh Ramakrishnan, the second accused in the case, directing him to report at the Kozhikode District Crime Branch office on Friday (July 24, 2026) for interrogation.
The notice comes days after the SIT arraigned the youth organisation leader as the second accused and submitted a report before the Vadakara Judicial First Class Magistrate Court with details of the fresh charges against him. Police sources said further legal proceedings would be initiated in accordance with the anticipatory bail granted to him earlier by the Kozhikode Sessions Court.
According to the investigation team, DYFI leader Jithin Bhaskaran, who was arrested earlier in the case, created the forged screenshot and initially forwarded it to Ribesh. The latter allegedly shared it in a WhatsApp group named ‘Red Enclave’, from where it was circulated again through several other Left-leaning WhatsApp groups, including Ambalappuzha Red Battalion, and on various Facebook pages. The investigators also found that Jithin reset his mobile phone in an attempt to destroy digital evidence.
The Vadakara Judicial First Class Magistrate Court had earlier dismissed the SIT’s plea seeking cancellation of bail granted to Jithin Bhaskaran. The investigating team had argued that he had violated bail conditions by participating in various reception programmes held at Vadakara and Thiruvallur after his release. It had also argued that there were a few incidents of violence and slogans directed against the police and the State government.
The case pertains to the circulation of a fabricated screenshot containing communally sensitive content during the campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha election in the Vadakara constituency. The post purportedly sought to portray Left Democratic Front candidate K.K. Shailaja in a derogatory manner by referring to her as a ‘kafir’ (non-believer).
The case initially led to allegations against activists of the Muslim Students Federation. However, further investigations indicated the alleged involvement of CPI(M) and DYFI activists, following which the police constituted the SIT for a fresh probe that resulted in the arrest of two DYFI activists.
Published – July 23, 2026 07:48 pm IST
