Kerala WhatsApp group row: IAS officer’s phone reset, ‘unclear’ whether hacked

The phone of the IAS officer, whose WhatsApp account was used to create a religious group, was completely reset; therefore, forensics officials could not ascertain whether it was hacked as the officer has claimed, the Kerala police have said.

While some media reports quoted the police to suggest that the IAS officer’s phone had not been hacked at all, Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner Sparjan Kumar clarified on Saturday (November 9) that it is “unclear” whether the device was compromised, as it had been “reset”.

He has given a report on the matter to the state police chief, DGP Shaik Darvesh Saheb, he said. The DGP’s office said the report is confidential and would be forwarded to the state government.

Also read: Kerala govt to probe formation of WhatsApp group for Hindu IAS officers

Group labelled “Mallu Hindu Officers”

The controversy originated on October 31, when several IAS officers of the Kerala cadre were added to a new WhatsApp group allegedly labelled “Mallu Hindu Officers”.

The WhatsApp group included only Hindu officers in the cadre and was created from the phone number of IAS officer K Gopalakrishnan. Many of the officers found it inappropriate and objected to the community-based group at once.

The WhatsApp group was deleted a day later, while Gopalakrishnan claimed that his phone had been hacked. He alleged that multiple groups had been created using his contacts without his consent.

He also lodged a complaint with the police, who started investigating the matter at once.

Also read: Kerala: Pinarayi govt transfers ADGP Ajithkumar from Law and Order

Government stand

On Monday, the Kerala government said it would examine the incident. State Industries Minister P Rajeeve described the incident as “serious”.

“The government will look into this matter. There is a general code of conduct for IAS officers, which falls under the Public Administration department. We are currently examining the situation. Let’s review and determine what needs to be done,” he told reporters in New Delhi on Monday.

While WhatsApp groups among administrative and other government officers are not new, one along religious lines is unprecedented, officers told the media.

Also read: Kerala Assembly: LDF-UDF face-off over ADGP's RSS meeting

Intelligence probe

According to a Times of India report, both state and central intelligence agencies are probing the matter. A senior intelligence officer told TOI that a few officers who were added to the group alerted the agency about it and also provided evidence.

This comes within weeks of senior IPS officer MR Ajith Kumar being removed from the position of ADGP (law & order), allegedly after he covertly met senior RSS functionaries without the knowledge of the Left-led LDF alliance government in Kerala. The government was forced to transfer Kumar after the controversy raged for days, and finally LDF ally CPI took a tough stand on the allegations.

(With agency inputs)