Kozhikode: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the fake "Kafir screenshot" case linked to the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign in Vadakara on Friday recorded the arrest of DYFI Vadakara Block president Ribesh Ramakrishnan, making him the third DYFI leader to be arrested in the case.

As he had secured anticipatory bail from a court, Ribesh was released after questioning. He has been named the second accused in the case.

Ribesh appeared before the SIT for questioning on Friday morning after being served a fresh notice. Investigators had earlier questioned him twice, but he was not included in the list of accused at that stage. Anticipating that he could be arraigned as an accused, Ribesh approached the court seeking anticipatory bail. On July 17, the District Principal Sessions Court granted him anticipatory bail, following which the SIT summoned him again for interrogation.

Earlier, the SIT had arrested DYFI leader Amal, a DYFI Vadakara Block Committee member and CPM Kannankuzhi branch committee member. The SIT had also arrested Jithin Bhaskar, a DYFI Block Committee member and CPM Thuruthi Local Committee member. 

The controversy dates back to the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when a fabricated screenshot of an alleged WhatsApp message surfaced on social media in the Vadakara constituency. The message was falsely attributed to Muhammad Kasim P, Kozhikode district secretary of the Muslim Students' Federation (MSF).

The fake message read: "Shafi is a pious young man who offers namaz five times a day, while the other is a non-Muslim 'Kafir' woman candidate. Whom should we vote for? Let us think."

The message referred to the electoral contest between CPM candidate K K Shailaja and Congress leader Shafi Parambil for the Vadakara Lok Sabha seat. Shafi went on to win the seat by a margin of 1,14,506 votes.

During the election campaign, the screenshot was widely circulated by Left leaders and supporters through Facebook posts and WhatsApp groups associated with the CPM and the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Its circulation triggered allegations of communal polarisation and hate propaganda, intensifying political tensions in the constituency.

Following the controversy, CPM leader P Bhaskaran Master filed a complaint with the Vadakara police, leading to the registration of a case against Muhammad Kasim. However, Kasim and the MSF leadership denied any involvement and demanded a comprehensive probe to identify those responsible for creating and circulating the fabricated content. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) also alleged that the conspiracy had been orchestrated by the CPM.

Subsequent police investigation found that Muhammad Kasim had no role in creating or circulating the fake screenshot. The investigation was reopened after the UDF government assumed office, following which the case was handed over to the SIT, which has since intensified its probe into those allegedly involved in the creation and dissemination of the fabricated content