Kerala Police asks Facebook to remove V. D. Satheesan’s interview amid Assembly polls
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A video clip from an interview with V. D. Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, aired on Manorama News, was removed from Facebook following directions issued by the Kerala Police.
The police’s Cyber Operations Wing reportedly issued a notice to Facebook under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, instructing the platform to block access to the video within India.
The content in question was a reel from a conversation between Satheesan and Manorama News’ News Director Johnny Lukose, which was taken down in India around Wednesday afternoon, although the link remained accessible.
The interview, recorded a day earlier, had been broadcast live and later uploaded on the channel’s social media platforms. It included criticism of the state government, discussion of the United Democratic Front’s electoral promises, and references to internal party matters, Maktoob Media reported.
During the interaction, Satheesan reportedly criticised the government led by Pinarayi Vijayan, describing its second-term administration as ineffective and alleging a strong anti-incumbency sentiment, including dissatisfaction within Communist Party of India (Marxist) cadres.
He also suggested that there were instances of tacit understanding between the CPI(M) and the Bharatiya Janata Party in certain constituencies, while characterising the BJP’s stance as unclear in some areas.
Addressing questions about the United Democratic Front’s electoral prospects, Satheesan clarified that he had not stated that failing to win 100 seats would amount to political exile, but maintained that the alliance was confident of securing a decisive mandate and was aiming for a three-digit tally.
The Kerala Police’s Cyber Cell has, in recent days, been issuing takedown notices to platforms such as Facebook, X and Instagram ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, when the Model Code of Conduct is in force.
This follows a controversy involving an Election Commission communication that reportedly carried the seal of the BJP’s Kerala unit instead of the official emblem. Acting on inputs from the Election Commission of India, authorities directed the removal of related posts, citing concerns over misinformation and public order.
In a separate case, the Cyber Cell registered an FIR against a user on X and issued a notice to X Corp over an AI-generated deepfake video allegedly portraying Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Election Commission officials in a misleading manner, warning that such content could incite unrest.