Five Booked Over Allegedly Defamatory Facebook Posts Targeting K C Venugopal

A case has been registered against five people for allegedly posting defamatory and objectionable content on Facebook targeting AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, police said on Monday.

The Alappuzha Cyber Police registered the case following a complaint by advocate Johnson Abraham on Sunday night.

According to police, the accused allegedly published derogatory posts targeting Venugopal on various dates between May 11 and July 19, allegedly with the intention of creating hatred and provoking a breach of public peace.

The accused have been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Kerala Police Act relating to circulating false information with intent to create or promote enmity, illegal provocation that could lead to a riot, and causing nuisance.

Police said the posts appeared during discussions over the possible candidate for the chief minister's post after the UDF won the state Assembly election. Venugopal was among the names being discussed, and the accused allegedly posted content opposing his candidature.

The case brings into focus the legal boundaries of political expression on social media, where criticism of public figures can form part of democratic discourse but content alleged to involve defamation, incitement, false information or threats may attract criminal provisions. The applicability of specific offences, however, will depend on the content of the posts and evidence gathered during the investigation.

Cyber law enforcement also involves examining the authenticity, context and origin of digital material while balancing legitimate political expression with restrictions prescribed by law. In such cases, investigators may collect electronic evidence and record statements before determining the further course of action.

Police said they have collected details of the accused and the allegedly objectionable posts and will interrogate them soon.

The investigation will establish the circumstances in which the posts were published and whether the alleged content meets the requirements of the offences invoked in the case, police said.