Kerala Police have initiated a preliminary inquiry against suspended IAS officer K. Gopalakrishnan, following allegations that he created a “communally divisive” WhatsApp group named ‘Mallu Hindu’ for bureaucrats. The Thiruvananthapuram City Police, led by Commissioner Sparjan Kumar, began the probe after legal opinions and public complaints. The Assistant Commissioner of the Narcotic Cell is overseeing the investigation.
Gopalakrishnan was suspended by the Kerala government on November 11 after an inquiry by Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, who found him guilty of “fomenting division” and “breaking solidarity” within the All India Service cadre. The officer, who previously served as the Director of Industries, denied the allegations, claiming his phone was hacked and the group created without his knowledge.
However, a cyber cell investigation found no evidence of hacking, and it was revealed that Gopalakrishnan had reset his phone multiple times before handing it over for forensic analysis. If the inquiry leads to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR), Gopalakrishnan could face legal charges, including destruction of evidence and promoting enmity between groups. The police have set a 10-day deadline for the investigation.
