A court in Kerala's Kozhikode district has directed the Pantheerankavu Police to register an FIR against ex-Muslim activist Arif Hussain Theruvath over allegations that he falsely linked education startup XandY Learning to terrorism and carried out a hate campaign against the institution through social media.
According to a complaint filed by XandY Learning, Arif Hussain allegedly posted on Facebook claiming that the institution was linked to Al-Falah University and insinuated that it promoted extremist or terrorist activities.
The startup also alleged that he targeted a prominent doctor who had attended one of its student-parent meetings as a guest speaker, abusing him on social media, accusing him of terrorism, and using those allegations to defame both the doctor and the institution.
In a Facebook post published in December 2025, cited in the complaint, Arif Hussain Theruvath described XandY Learning as a "jihadi" organisation, alleged that it was engaged in "white-collar jihad", referred to it as an "Al-Falah University" in Kerala, and urged the Kerala Police, the state government and the Union government to investigate the institution.
The complaint further stated that former IPS officer Rishiraj Singh and journalist Babu Ramachandran had also attended the same programme, but only the doctor was singled out for attack.
XandY Learning said it had initially approached the Pantheerankavu Police with a complaint. However, after no FIR was registered, it moved the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kozhikode, which directed the police to register an FIR and conduct an investigation.
Reacting to the court's order, Mohammed Ajmal C, CEO of XandY Learning, said the startup, recognised by the Kerala Startup Mission, has around 7,000 students and more than 200 employees from different religious communities as well as people with no religious affiliation.
Ajmal said the institution decided to pursue legal action because it did not want "people like this" to continue targeting businesses in Kerala. Stressing that "freedom of expression is not a licence to defame others", he said many victims remain silent because of the time-consuming nature of legal proceedings.
He warned that if such campaigns go unchallenged, "anyone can say anything to destroy any business", and appealed to entrepreneurs and the public "who wish to see the state's development" to support efforts to protect legitimate businesses.
Following the court's order, Arif Hussain Theruvath posted on social media that he stood by his earlier allegations against XandY Learning and would file a complaint against the institution.
Reiterating his claim that the programme resembled "white-collar jihad", he again called for an investigation by both the Kerala and Union governments. He alleged that authorities should examine whether some entrance coaching institutions were being used as a cover for "terrorism, extremism and Taliban-style ideology", and asserted that Kerala must ensure it does not become home to "Al-Falah Universities".
Arif Hussain Theruvath is an ex-Muslim YouTuber and activist whose rhetoric has drawn sustained criticism from opponents, who accuse him of promoting Islamophobic narratives and aligning with Hindutva politics. He publicly identifies as a Zionist and has repeatedly expressed support for Israel's actions in Gaza, which he has defended despite widespread international allegations of genocide.
Theruvath has also previously faced police cases and court petitions over alleged hate speech, including accusations of promoting religious enmity, hurting religious sentiments, and making derogatory remarks about Islamic practices.