The Kerala police are seeking legal assistance from the United States in connection with an investigation into a Facebook post allegedly linked to Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Kerala state unit president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The post in question is related to the twin bomb blasts that occurred at a Jehovah's Witnesses convention in Kalamassery on October 29, 2023, which resulted in the death of eight people.
The case was initially registered by the Ernakulam Central Police on October 31, 2023, following a complaint from the Ernakulam Cyber Cell. The First Information Report (FIR) alleges that the Facebook post, purportedly from Chandrasekhar's account, attempted to disrupt communal harmony and included a provocative remark referencing Hamas in the context of the Kalamassery blasts. The post reportedly blamed the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) for engaging in appeasement politics, using hashtags like #HamasTerrorist and #KochiTerrorAttacks. It also alluded to Hamas leader Khaled Mashal's virtual participation in a pro-Palestine protest in Kerala a day before the blasts.
The Kerala government has officially sanctioned the state police to seek Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) from the U.S. to investigate the matter further. A government order issued on September 8, 2025, reveals that the State Police Chief requested permission on July 17, 2025, to submit an MLA request through the online portal concerning Crime No. 3408/2023, registered at Ernakulam Central Police Station. The government has granted permission for the State Police Chief to send the MLA request to the Ministry of Home Affairs via the online portal to obtain legal assistance from authorities in the United States.
The investigation aims to verify whether the contentious Facebook post was indeed made from Chandrasekhar's account and to gather relevant data. The Kerala State Police Chief is expected to collaborate with U.S. entities, with assistance from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the U.S. Interpol. The Inspector General of Police, Crime Branch, who serves as the state's Interpol liaison officer, will also be involved.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court has ordered that no coercive action be taken against Chandrasekhar. As authorities continue to investigate, the probe remains ongoing.
