Senior Congress leader and KPCC Political Affairs Committee member N. Subramanian was taken into police custody for sharing an image of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with a key accused in the Sabarimala gold heist case. The police charged him with promoting enmity and public mischief, citing concerns about communal disharmony.
The image in question depicted CM Vijayan with the accused, sparking allegations of it being AI-generated to mislead the public. Subramanian, upon arrest, was hospitalized due to feeling unwell. The police investigation focuses on his sharing of two images, one of which he later deleted.
AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal criticized the police action as selective targeting, likening it to the use of agencies against political opponents. Subramanian defended himself, claiming the shared image was from an official video and not fabricated. The incident has stirred political debates on the use of AI-generated content in public discourse.
Former Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala vowed to challenge the police action, asserting it was politically motivated. The controversy has drawn contrasting views, with the ruling CPI(M) advocating strict measures against fake images while opposition parties see it as an attack on free expression.
