FIR against Kerala journo for report on allegations of anti-Muslim bias by police
The Kerala police have booked a freelance journalist alleging provocation with intent to cause a riot in his news report on the Kalamassery blasts that occurred in October 2023. The Vadakara police registered a suo-moto case against journalist Rejaz M Sheeba Sydeek for a story on the allegations of anti-Muslim bias in the state following the detention of Muslim youths, formerly associated with SIMI, reportedly without leads, in connection with the blasts that killed five people.
The story was published by Maktoob Media on October 30, and the First Information Report (FIR) dated October 31 states that the Maktoob Malayalam online page published a provocative report saying the police are anti-Muslim, with the intention of creating a riot (Section 153 IPC). Maktoob Media CEO Shamseer Ibrahim confirmed in a public statement that the Vadakara police interrogated the portal’s editor Aslah Kayyalakkath on Thursday, November 16 in connection with this.
Rejaz told TNM that he had no idea about the FIR until he was contacted by Maktoob Media on November 16. “ The irony is that today is national press day. My report is based on facts, it is not a cooked-up story. I have all the call records with me. I called the people whom the police took into custody, and additionally, I called the Aluva police station to confirm the detention, and they did not deny it. When I called the Aluva Rural Superintendent of Police, he denied this and explained that Nizamuddin and others were taken into custody because they were internal security suspects. I have quoted him in the said news copy. Since he called me through WhatsApp, I could not record the full conversation”, Rejaz explained.
Rejaz further said that he called the youths who were taken into custody by the police after Nizamuddin, one of the youth’s Facebook posts, went viral. “The police said to Nizamuddin, Sathar, and Shamsuddin that they took him in custody related to the Kalamassery blast and I quoted them”, Rejaz added.
Meanwhile, Maktoob Media condemned the FIR, terming the investigation “arbitrary”, and asserted that they stand by the report and will ensure legal aid to the reporter. “The FIR threatens the journalistic independence of reporting stories without reprisal. The case reflects on the accusations made in the report under investigation. Maktoob has been singled out for reporting an important story that holds police accountable,” noted a post on Maktoob.
The Kalamassery blasts happened at a Jehovah’s Witnesses Convention in the Zamra Center on October 29, and Nizamuddin and others were taken into custody on the same evening. Later, Dominic Martin, a spoken English teacher from Thammanam in Ernakulam district, who was once a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, claimed he carried out the attack after failing to bring the religious sect on the right path.
Rejaz has been working as a freelance journalist for the past three years, covering human rights, politics, and state atrocities. He mainly contributes to Maktoob Media and online news portals such as Asian Speaks and Arora. The Vadakara police have asked Rejaz to be present at the station on November 17 to record his statement.