Kozhikode: The Director of General Education has initiated a second departmental inquiry against Ribesh Ramakrishnan, a lower primary teacher at Arangot MLP School after the initial investigation into the ‘Kafir’ screenshot controversy was found unsatisfactory. The department has also reappointed the Thodannur Assistant Educational Officer (AEO) to lead this follow-up investigation, with a report expected on Monday.
Ribesh, who is also DYFI Vadakara block president and a CPM-affiliated teachers' association leader, was implicated following a complaint by Youth Congress State General Secretary V P Dulkifil. The controversy centres on a screenshot shared across social media and messaging apps ahead of the recent Lok Sabha election, labelling CPM candidate K K Shailaja as an "infidel" (Kafir) while endorsing Congress candidate Shafi Parambil.
Muhammad Kasim, an MSF leader and accused in the case, alleged that Ribesh initially posted the screenshot in a WhatsApp group. Kasim further claimed the police attempted to shield Ribesh and others involved.
Meanwhile, in the report submitted by the police to the High Court, it was clarified that the screenshot containing the 'Kafir' remark spread to other groups from the 'Red Encounters' WhatsApp group, where Ribesh, the group's admin, initially posted it. Ribesh failed to provide information about the screenshot's original source, prompting authorities to seize his phone for examination.
