THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Action has been recommended against Industries Department Director K Gopalakrishnan in connection with the controversy over the formation of a WhatsApp group of IAS officers on religious bases. Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan said in her recommendation that Gopalakrishnan's explanation was not satisfactory and appropriate action should be taken.
The DGP had submitted a report to the chief secretary yesterday on the controversy. According to the report, Gopalakrishnan's phone was not hacked. Earlier, the chief secretary had directed the DGP to submit a report immediately. The chief secretary sought an explanation from Gopalakrishnan after receiving the report.
The police had clarified that K Gopalakrishnan's actions were suspicious. Gopalakrishnan had given both the phones to the police after formatting them. Google had earlier informed the police that the WhatsApp group was not formed by hacking Gopalakrishnan's phone. Internet service providers also informed that an IP address other than that of Gopalakrishnan's phone was not used to form the groups. With this, the police's suspicion that Gopalakrishnan himself formed the groups was strengthened. WhatsApp had also reported to the police that there was no hacking.
WhatsApp groups based on religion were formed with Gopalakrishnan as admin on October 30. Complaint was lodged after the information came to light. Gopalakrishnan had repeated his statement that the groups were formed by hacking his phone and that he came to know about it through his friends in the meanwhile.