The Kerala government has removed Nandakumar Kolathappilly, a former additional secretary in the Secretariat, from his post as Administrative Officer at the Institute of Human Resources Development (IHRD), following allegations linked to cyberbullying and online abuse against Achu Oommen, the daughter of late former chief minister Oommen Chandy. The Higher Education Department issued an order appointing former additional secretary Latha Panicker as the new Administrative Officer.
Kolathappilly had been appointed to the IHRD role by the previous government after retiring from the post of additional secretary. According to the report, Achu Oommen had filed a complaint with the Director General of Police in 2023 alleging that he had posted abusive content on Facebook that insulted her. However, police did not take immediate action on the complaint at the time.
The article says the lack of police response drew criticism, and Kolathappilly was later summoned to the station. Even then, he was released without arrest on a minor charge. He was questioned only a week after the case was registered.
The case has again drawn attention because it involves online harassment of a prominent political family member and the government’s decision to remove a retired bureaucrat from an important administrative position. The move is being seen as a disciplinary step tied to the allegations that surfaced in the cyberbullying complaint. The appointment of Latha Panicker marks an immediate replacement in the IHRD administration.
Achu Oommen, who has been in the public eye as the daughter of Oommen Chandy, has previously been the target of online abuse, and this case highlights the continued concern over cyberbullying and the handling of such complaints by authorities. The latest administrative action comes amid renewed scrutiny of how the state has responded to complaints involving social media harassment, particularly when the accused holds or has held a government-linked position.
