Cyber police register non-bailable case against former DGP Senkumar

The Kerala cyber police on Friday registered a non-bailable case against former state police chief TP Senkumar, for allegedly making statements spreading communal hatred.

The case, registered under IPC Section 153A, pertains to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race etc, according to a Times of India report. If proved guilty, Senkumar could face imprisonment for up to five years.

The Crime Branch will question Senkumar regarding the incident and will record his statements, according to Asianet News. The case was charged after prosecutions director gave the nod, following six complaints about the contents of the interview.

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Senkumar, who retired as DGP last month, made the the controversial statements in a interview to an online Malayalam magazine. The magazine has handed over the audio files of the interview to the cyber police. The publisher of the magazine has been listed as co-accused in the case.

In the interview, Senkumar said that some Muslims in the state practice 'love jihad'. He also said that except in some rare cases, religious conversions over love happens only in the Muslim community. The IPS officer also went on to say that out of every 100 children born in Kerala, 42 were Muslims. He later claimed that his statements in the interview were distorted. 

Senkumar retired as state police chief on June 30. He was removed by the Pinarayi Vijayan government after they came to power in May 2016, but was reinstated a year later after he got a favourable verdict from the Supreme Court. 

• TP Senkumar
• cyber police