The investigation into the fake degree certificate scandal involving Nikhil Thomas, a former leader of the Students Federation of India (SFI), has gained momentum as the police probe progresses. Initial findings reveal that Nikhil paid Rs 2 lakh to a former SFI leader in an apparent attempt to acquire the fraudulent document, aiming to secure admission to MSM College, Kayamkulam for his post-graduate studies.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the aforementioned individual, who was previously affiliated with the SFI and currently works as a teacher abroad, may have facilitated the creation of the counterfeit certificate for Nikhil. The police have obtained evidence of Nikhil transferring Rs 2 lakh from his bank account to the ex-SFI leader’s account, raising suspicions about the former’s involvement in arranging fabricated documents for multiple individuals. Authorities are taking steps to bring the ex-SFI leader back to Kerala for further interrogation and to gather additional information related to the case.
In a related development, a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) Kayamkulam area committee, who was in the company of Nikhil prior to his disappearance, was taken into custody by the police for questioning. This individual, detained in the morning and released at 7 pm, is cooperating with the authorities. Additionally, eight other individuals, including an SFI leader from Law College, Karilakulangara, were interrogated yesterday.
Nikhil remains at large, having evaded arrest for three days since the case was filed. He went into hiding on the night of June 19, reportedly using a lawyer’s car. The lawyer, an activist affiliated with the CPM, was apprehended and extensively questioned by the police. CCTV footage confirms Nikhil’s journey from Kayamkulam to Kollam in the lawyer’s car, providing crucial leads. Authorities are actively searching for Nikhil, but his phone has been switched off since June 19. Based on mobile phone signals, it has been determined that Nikhil was in Thiruvananthapuram on June 18, spent the night in Varkala, and traveled to Ernakulam the following morning before returning to Kayamkulam in the evening, at which point his phone was turned off at 7 pm.
To intensify the investigation, the police team, led by Kayamkulam Deputy Superintendent of Police G Ajaynath and Inspector Muhammed Shafi, has been reinforced with three additional inspectors: R S Bijukumar, V S Shyamkumar, and G Jayakumar.
In the meantime, MSM College has submitted a report to Kerala University regarding the fake certificate issue. However, the report was deemed “unsatisfactory” as it failed to provide all the requested information. Despite its shortcomings, the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal, has not rejected the report. The college has been given additional time to furnish more details, including information on the admission committee members involved in Nikhil’s case, minutes of the committee meetings related to the post-graduate admission process, as well as the tenure and identities of the teachers in the Commerce Department.
The response from the college, along with the report, will be presented during the Syndicate meeting on June 27. Since the Syndicate’s tenure concludes on June 30, any further action will need to be determined during this meeting. As the Syndicate’s term is drawing to a close, it is unlikely that a sub-committee will be appointed.
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