Kozhikode: Shimjitha Musthafa, a social media influencer facing charges of abetment of suicide in connection with the death of Deepak U, has approached the court seeking anticipatory bail. The plea was filed before the Kozhikode District Magistrate Court on Wednesday.

The move comes as the search for Shimjitha has been intensified by the police. A lookout notice has been issued against her after she went into hiding soon after the case was registered. As she had been working in Dubai for the past few months, the notice is also intended to prevent her from leaving the country.

Deepak,41, a sales officer with a garment firm, was found hanging at his residence in Mankavu on January 18. His death followed the circulation of a video posted by Shimjitha on social media, in which she alleged misconduct by him during a bus journey. The video went viral, triggering widespread public reaction.

According to police officials, efforts are underway to recover Shimjitha’s mobile phone, which was allegedly used to record the original footage. Investigators believe the controversial video shared on social media was edited using multiple clips. “We need to retrieve all the original videos to examine the content, verify whether the allegation of misconduct is true, and ascertain the intent behind recording and sharing the footage,” a senior police officer said. Police also plan to examine earlier videos posted by the vlogger to determine whether similar methods were used in the past.

Meanwhile, the All Kerala Men’s Association has approached the High Court seeking a CBI or Crime Branch probe into the case. The petition alleges that the police are attempting to protect Shimjitha and demands that her phone be seized and subjected to a detailed forensic examination.

After visiting Deepak’s house, Rahul Easwar, a representative of the association, said that Rs 3.17 lakh had been handed over to the bereaved family as financial assistance. He also announced that the association has decided to set up a 24-hour helpline to support men facing similar situations.