Kerala Police book MLA K T Jaleel over his Azad Kashmir remark

The Keezhvaipur police in the Pathanamthitta district registered the case under section 153 B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and as per section two of Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

Jaleel’s Facebook post on the eve of Independence Day triggered a controversy after he referred to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as “Azad Kashmir”. In his post, Jaleel also referred to Jammu and Kashmir as “India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir’’ and even criticised the Centre’s decision to revoke the erstwhile state’s special status.

The post sparked protests in Kerala, with the BJP demanding a sedition case against the former higher education minister. As the protests mounted, Jaleel withdrew his comments, saying his Facebook post had been “misconstrued”.