K. Gopalakrishnan, the IAS officer involved in the "Mallu Hindu Officers" WhatsApp group controversy, reiterated that his phone was hacked. He disclosed to Asianet News that the hackers also created a group named "Mallu Muslim Officers".
Thiruvananthapuram: Amid the ongoing controversy over the WhatsApp group called "Mallu Hindu Officers," which comprised Hindu IAS officers, K. Gopalakrishnan, the IAS officer from the Department of Industries, has reiterated that his phone was hacked. As the debate intensified regarding the group, he explained yesterday that the incident resulted from hacking.
Kerala: WhatsApp group for 'Mallu Hindu' IAS officers causes uproar; later deleted
On Monday (Nov 04), the IAS officer shared additional information with Asianet News, revealing that the hackers also created a group named "Mallu Muslim Officers" using his phone.
Gopalakrishnan reiterated that his phone was hacked, explaining that the hackers created 11 groups simultaneously by adding contacts from his list and made themselves the admins of these groups. He specified that two of these groups are "Mallu Hindu Officers" and "Mallu Muslim Officers." The Director of the Department of Industries also mentioned that he has filed a complaint with the city police commissioner regarding these incidents.
How did it all begin?
The "Mallu Hindu Officers" WhatsApp group surfaced on the night before Diwali, causing a stir among IAS officers in the state, with K. Gopalakrishnan as the admin. The group included senior officials, and some members expressed concerns about its formation. After reaching out to Gopalakrishnan, the group was quickly deleted. Subsequently, members received a message from him explaining that his phone had been hacked, allowing the hackers to create 11 groups using his contacts. He stated that all groups had been deleted and that he planned to change his phone soon and report the incident to the police.
However, the creation of a group exclusively including Hindu officers under the name "Mallu Hindu Officers" has raised several questions. If this was indeed a hacking incident, it is a serious matter. It is crucial to identify who hacked the senior officer’s phone and created groups potentially aimed at stirring communal tensions.
The cyber police are set to investigate the complaint filed by IAS officer K. Gopalakrishnan with the city police commissioner. Before formally taking up the case, they sent a letter to WhatsApp authorities requesting information to verify claims of the officer’s account being hacked.
The police stated that a decision on filing a case will be made once they receive a response. They will also record Gopalakrishnan's statement as part of the inquiry. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to proceed, and any formal case will be registered following the preliminary investigation.