K. T. Jaleel

Jaleel was born the son of K.T. Kunhi Muhammed and Parayil Nafeesa at Tirur, Malappuram. M.P. Fathima Kutty is his spouse, who is the principal of Valanchery HSS. Asma Beevi, Muhammed Farooq and Sumayya Beegum are his children.

He is also author of book "Oru Kodumkattaya Janapaksha Rashtreeyam" and published many articles in periodicals and newspapers.

He completed his Primary education from GUPS-Painkanur, Valanchery and GUPS-Velimukku. His secondary education was from Government Higher Secondary School, Kuttippuram. He did his pre-degree from Islahiya College, Chenamangalur, and his Graduation and Post-graduation from Pocker Sahib Memorial Orphanage College (PSMO College), Tirurangadi. He owns an M.Phil-degree from University of Calicut and Ph.D. from Kerala University, Thiruvananthapuram for the topic "Role of Variyam Kunjahammed haji and Ali Musliyar in the Malabar Rebellion of 1921". He is currently Associate Professor in History, in Pocker Sahib Memorial Orphanage College (PSMO) College, Tirurangadi and settled at Valanchery.[3]

He was a former member of the now-banned Islamist organization, Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).[4] Later he joined the Muslim Students Federation - MSF, the students’ wing of the Indian Union Muslim League.[5] He was ousted from the youth wing of IUML following differences with the leadership.[5] Afterwards he contested independently with LDF support.

He was elected as an MLA for the first time in 2006, from Kuttippuram constituency as LDF supported Independent candidate, defeating the then IUML General Secretary[6] P K Kunhalikutty. In 2011 he was elected from Thavanoor constituency, defeating V. V. Prakash of Indian National Congress for a margin of 6,854 votes.[7] In 2016 he was reelected from Thavanoor, with a majority of 17,064, against P. Ifthiquarudheen of Indian National Congress.[8]

Jaleel had come under fire after being accused of nepotism by P. K. Firos of Indian Union Muslim League over the appointment of his cousin as the general manager of Kerala State Minorities Development Finance Corporation (KSMDFC).[9] Kerala High Court had dismissed the plea regarding the same on July 11, 2019 and criticised the political agendas behind the petition by Firos.[10] Jaleel was accused of links to the 2020 Kerala gold smuggling case and was questioned by Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).[5] He denied any involvement, saying that the contact with one of the accused Swapna was regarding a charity work as suggested by the Consulate General of UAE.[11]

He held positions such as: Chairman, P.S. M.O. College Union; he served as MSF chairman in his education period, Malappuram District Council; Director, Kerala Automobiles Ltd and Malcotex, Karthala Chungam; General Secretary, Kerala State Muslim Youth League; Chairman, Standing Committee on Education and Health, District Panchayat Malappuram; Syndicate member, Calicut University; Director of Norka Roots;[12]