Former minister Jaleel makes Azad Kashmir remarks, case registered

A case has been registered against former Minister and LDF MLA K T Jaleel here following directions from a Kerala court for his recent controversial remarks on Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), police said on Wednesday.

According to the FIR registered on Tuesday, Jaleel,55, has been charged under IPC Section 153 (A) (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district had directed the SHO Keezhvaipur police station to register the case against Jaleel and investigate the matter.

In his Facebook post during his visit to the valley on August 12, the Kerala MLA had said, "The part of Kashmir annexed to Pakistan was known as 'Azad Kashmir' and it was an area where the Pakistan government does not have direct control."

Jaleel, who was a Minister in the previous CPI(M)-led LDF government, had said "Indian adheena Jammu and Kashmir (India-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir) consists of parts of Jammu, Kashmir Valley and Ladakh." He later withdrew his controversial Facebook post.

Several people, especially BJP leaders, had come out against his post.