Thiruvananthapuram: IAS officer K Gopalakrishnan, suspended over the controversy surrounding a WhatsApp group created on religious lines, has been reinstated. However, the suspension of N Prashanth was extended by 120 days. The government made the decision based on the recommendations of the Suspension Review Committee.

“The officer is reinstated in service, pending finalisation of disciplinary action against him,” stated an order issued by Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan regarding Gopalakrishnan's reinstatement.

The controversy arose when K Gopalakrishnan, Director of the Industries Department, created a WhatsApp group named "Mallu Hindu Officers" and deleted it within hours. The police investigated the incident. Following the uproar, Gopalakrishnan claimed his phone had been hacked. He later presented the phone to the investigating officers, which had been reset. Recently, details from a charge memo, reportedly exonerating Gopalakrishnan in the WhatsApp group controversy, were made public.

Meanwhile, the committee recommended extending N Prashanth's suspension by 120 days, effective January 10. Prashanth, a Kerala IAS officer, was suspended following insinuating comments against Additional Chief Secretary Dr A Jayathilak.

Prashanth had recently written to Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, asserting his right to access digital files to furnish a reply to the memo served against him. He was suspended last month after making personal remarks on social media against Jayathilak. Prashanth accused Jayathilak of ruining the careers and lives of subordinates who failed to follow his directives, described him as mentally ill, and called him a "psychopath." Prashanth’s comments followed a report filed by Jayathilak against him regarding the Unnathi initiative, which was under consideration by the Chief Minister.