Man arrested for posting derogatory messages against Panakkad Sadikali Shihab Thangal

Kozhikode: Police on Monday arrested a man accused of posting derogatory messages on social media against IUML state president Panakkad Sadikali Shihab Thangal and trying to extort money from his relative by threatening to post defamatory content online.The accused Muhammad Roshan, a native of Ponyakurshi in Perinthalmanna, was produced before a judicial first class magistrate court on Monday. The case was registered on a complaint filed by Moeen Ali Shihab Thangal, a member of Panakkad Thangal family. According to FIR, Roshan allegedly called Moeen Ali and a friend to a shopping mall at Perinthalmanna and showed some fake and unclear images and videos claiming to be that of Sadikali Thangal on his mobile phone on Jan 31. He then attempted to blackmail them by demanding Rs 15 crore and threatened to publish the content on social media if money was not paid. He allegedly issued death threats if the matter was reported to the police. Later, the accused created a fake Facebook account under the name ‘Shan Shanu' and posted the derogatory messages on March 21. The post was later removed, and the account was also deleted. Police said that the accused was involved in multiple criminal cases and Kaapa was invoked against him earlier. Police had registered a case against the accused under sections 192, 308 (4) and 351 (4) of BNS and 66 (D) of the IT Act and 120 (o) of Kerala Police Act.