Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala University Vice Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal on Monday said the allegation that an SFI leader has submitted a fake certificate to secure his admission for an M Com course is a serious one and the varsity will approach the police to investigate the incident.
The KSU, the student organisation of the opposition Congress in the state, has been alleging that Nikhil Thomas, an SFI leader of Kayamkulam MSM college, has obtained an M Com seat in the same college after submitting a “fake degree certificate”.
They have been alleging that Thomas failed in the B Com degree course at MSM college but when it was time to join for M Com, he provided a certificate from Kalinga university in Chhattisgarh.
“The allegation that he has submitted a fake certificate is a serious one. We will inform the police. Further action will be initiated against the college as they failed to identify the fake certificate. The college should explain,” Kunnumal told the media.
The Vice Chancellor also said that Kerala university will officially seek a clarification from Kalinga University in this regard.
Meanwhile, State Higher Education Minister R Bindu said she has sought a report in this regard from the college as well as the university.
However, SFI, the student wing of the ruling CPI(M), today said that the certificates Thomas had submitted were original as Kerala university had given an eligibility certificate based on those degree certificates.
“The Kerala university had given the eligibility certificate after considering the certificates submitted by him. The university might have checked the veracity of the certificates before issuing an eligibility certificate to join for the M Com course,” SFI state secretary P M Arsho told the media.
He said, however, that if there is an allegation that Thomas had not attended classes at Kalinga university, that that should be probed.
“If there is an allegation that there is a mafia that gives away fake certificates, then it should be probed and culprits should be brought to justice,” Arsho said.
The KSU today announced that it will hold an education bandh in campuses across the state on Tuesday protesting against the incident.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said the SFI should be dissolved as there are allegations that the organisation was indulging in such “illegal activities”.
“The government and the party are protecting such people and making SFI an organisation that creates anarchy in campuses,” Chennithala alleged.
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