Perinthalmanna police have identified the individual responsible for posting fabricated sexual allegations against Muslim League state president Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal on Facebook, officials said Wednesday.
The suspect has been identified as Muhammed Roshan, a resident of Perinthalmanna and a defendant in a previous case, according to police. The investigation revealed Roshan allegedly attempted to extort money by threatening to release compromising images.
Police said Roshan contacted a relative of Thangal, inviting them to a location in Perinthalmanna where he displayed unclear visuals and demanded 150 million rupees – roughly $1.8 million USD. When the demand was refused, Roshan allegedly published the fabricated images on Facebook using a false identity.
The Muslim League filed a complaint with police, prompting an investigation that led to Roshan’s identification. Police confirmed Roshan has a history of legal issues and had begun planning the scheme approximately three months prior to the Facebook posts. On January 31, Roshan reportedly threatened to release images of P.M. Moineali Shihab Thangal and a companion via social media, according to police.
The incident underscores the growing threat of online extortion and the use of fabricated content to target public figures. Authorities have taken Roshan into custody as the investigation continues.
