Repeated factory reset of the mobile phones by IAS officer K Gopalakrishnan who was suspended for creating WhatsApp groups based on religion was suspicious, according to the charge memo issued by the Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan. It notes that even after filing a complaint that his phone was hacked, Gopalakrishan reset his phones repeatedly on three days.

Gopalakrishnan allegedly created WhatsApp groups, including IAS officers, based on religious affiliations, which triggered a row. K Gopalakrishnan, however, came up with an explanation that his phone was hacked. He filed a complaint with the police, saying that the WhatsApp group was created and contacts were added without his consent by hacking his device. This contention fell flat during the forensic examination, and it was also found that he had repeatedly reset factory settings before handing over the phone to the cyber forensics division.

"The Government observed that due to the multiple factory resets of the mobile phones, all data related to WhatsApp and Google have been deliberately wiped out and hence the Forensic examination reports could not provide any useful information about the suspicious activity on October 31.

However, the reports by WhatsApp and Google indicate no unusual activity in the applications as of October 31, indicating a lack of hacking activity. Also, the repeated factory reset of the mobile phones on November 3, 5 and 6 by the officer itself, even after giving a complaint and before submitting the phones for forensic examination, is suspicious," the charge memo notes.

According to the memo of charges, Gopalakrishnan created a WhatsApp group with communal connotations to foment division, sow disunity and break the solidarity within the All India Service cadre in the state.