MALAPPURAM: The Police have identified the accused who made false sexual allegations against Muslim League state president Sadiqali Shihab Thangal on Facebook. According to Perinthalmanna police, the person behind the fake post is Muhammed Roshan, a native of Perinthalmanna, who is also an accused in a KAPPA case and a former MSF activist.
Police said the motive was to blackmail and extort money using fabricated obscene images. In January, the accused allegedly called a relative of Sadiqali Shihab Thangal to a mall in Perinthalmanna, showed him morphed images, and demanded Rs 15 crore. When the demand was rejected, he began circulating the images on Facebook through a fake account named ‘Shanu Shanu’ on March 21.
Following the incident, the Muslim League filed a complaint and initiated legal action. Perinthalmanna police subsequently found out that Muhammed Roshan was behind the act. Police said Muhammed Roshan is also accused in multiple cases, including rape, drug offences, and attempted murder.
Police officials said the accused had been planning the crime for nearly three months. “On January 31, the accused summoned Mueenali Shihab Thangal of the Panakkad family to a mall and threatened to release the images on social media if the money was not paid. When the family refused to comply, he shared the fake images on FB. We also learned from his family that he was a former MSF worker,” an officer from Perinthalmanna police station said.
Meanwhile, CPM cyber activist Afsal Panakkad has alleged that he was falsely accused by IUML leaders in connection with the incident.