On May 14, 2026, a delegation from the Udupi District Mahila Congress approached Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar, demanding legal action against V. Sunil Kumar, the Karkala MLA. The delegation, led by Jyoti Hebbar, accused Kumar of sharing a false news clipping from The Hindu on his Facebook account, which purportedly showed former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi advising against gold purchases. They argued that Kumar failed to verify the authenticity of the content before sharing it, thereby tarnishing Gandhi's image, which they believe is unjust given her significant contributions to India's development. The memorandum emphasizes that Kumar, as a former Cabinet Minister, should uphold a higher standard of conduct. The police have taken the matter seriously, with Mr. Shankar stating that the memorandum has been forwarded to Deputy Superintendent of Police Vijay Prasad for investigation. The outcome of this inquiry may determine whether an FIR will be filed against Kumar for his actions.