Congress leader held in CM Vijayan and Potti AI image row, released after questioning

Kozhikode: Senior Congress leader and state unit Political Affairs Committee member N. Subramanian was taken into custody by Chevayur police on Saturday in connection with the alleged circulation of a distorted image of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan but was released after questioning.

Subramanian was questioned for a while in connection with a social media post that allegedly featured an AI-generated image showing the Chief Minister alongside Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold heist case.

Following the interrogation, his mobile phone was confiscated for forensic examination as part of the investigation.

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With news spreading that the top Congress leader was taken into custody, a huge crowd of party workers gathered at the Chevayur police station and started shouting anti-Vijayan slogans.

Subramanian was subsequently served a notice under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, directing him to appear before the police whenever summoned.

Police reiterated that the case remains under investigation and that further action would depend on the outcome of the digital analysis of the seized device.

The case was registered after the ruling CPI-M’s leaders, including state Secretary M.V. Govindan, alleged that the image shared by Subramanian was fabricated using artificial intelligence and circulated with the intent to mislead the public and provoke communal disharmony.

The police booked the Congress leader under sections related to promoting enmity and public mischief, though officers maintained that he was eligible for station bail.

Subramanian, who had briefly been taken to a hospital after reportedly feeling unwell while in custody, continued to deny the allegations.

He maintained that the image he shared was a screenshot taken from a video released by the Chief Minister’s Office, and not an AI-generated creation, and termed the police action politically motivated.

The incident has triggered sharp political reactions across Kerala.

Congress leaders accused the government of selective application of the law, while CPI-M leaders defended the police action, arguing that firm measures were necessary to curb the misuse of AI-generated content capable of disturbing public order.

The controversy has once again spotlighted the growing challenge posed by AI-driven misinformation in political discourse, amid increased monitoring of social media activity by law enforcement agencies.