Kerala sub-court orders to file case against MLA KT Jaleel over 'Azad Kashmir' remark

Pathanamthitta: A sub court in Thiruvalla on Tuesday directed the police to file a case against Kerala legislator KT Jaleel over his controversial Facebook post wherein he used the terms 'Indian-Occupied Kashmir' and 'Azad Kashmir'. The case was taken ahead following a complaint filed by Arun Mohan, RSS Sabarigiri District Prachar Pramukh.

Arun had filed a complaint against Jaleel soon after he published the face book post but the police had not taken any action following which he approach the court. In the complaint, Arun requested the court to charge the case against Jaleel. Considering this, the Judge Reshma Sasidharan ordered to file case against Jaleel.

In a Facebook post on Friday, the former minister, while talking about his visit to Kashmir, criticised the NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi for the 'miserable' life of people there. "There are soldiers carrying guns everywhere. It seems Kashmiris have forgotten to laugh," Jaleel wrote.

The people's anger with the second Modi regime for dividing Kashmir into three is evident in their expression, Jaleel said. He said the part of Kashmir that was acceded to Pakistan came to be known as 'Azad Kashmir'. Former diplomat TP Sreenivasan told that Jaleel used the terminologies that Pakistan uses.

However, Jaleel defended himself by saying that he had written Azad Kashmir in double inverted commas. In other words, Jaleel implied it was not his view.

Earlier on Monday, the Delhi Police had sought legal opinion on taking a case against the leader on the same matter on basis of a complaint filed in by lawyer GS Mani at Tilak Nagar Police Station. The complaint was transferred to the cyber police division.