FIR Filed Over Fake Pension Allegations Against CPI(M) Leader P.K. Sreemathi

Police have registered a case following a complaint by senior CPI(M) leader P.K. Sreemathi over allegations that she was illegally drawing a family pension in the name of a former legislator, officials said.

The Kannur Rural Cyber Police registered the FIR on Saturday night based on Sreemathi's statement. The case has been filed under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act, including sections relating to defamation and outraging the modesty of a woman. An investigation is underway.

According to police, six accused have been named in the case. They reportedly include an online news portal, a Malayalam television channel and a local newspaper published from Kannur.

The controversy began after some online portals, citing purported Right to Information (RTI) documents, alleged that Sreemathi was receiving a family pension in the name of former MLA P.R. Krishnan.

However, Krishnan's family later clarified that the pension beneficiary was his widow, who also bears the name P.K. Sreemathi. The clarification indicated that the allegations against the CPI(M) leader were the result of a mistaken identity involving two women with the same name.

Krishnan was a Congress leader who served as a member of the Travancore-Cochin Legislative Assembly between 1954 and 1956.

Following the allegations, Sreemathi submitted complaints to the Chief Minister, Home Minister and State Police Chief. She has also said that she would issue legal notices to those responsible for making the allegations.

Sreemathi recently spoke about the emotional distress caused by the controversy and broke down while describing its impact on her and her family. She said the allegations had been particularly painful as her husband died only 10 months ago, yet she was being accused of drawing a family pension belonging to another legislator.