Efforts on to derail probe into exam fraud by SFI leaders?

Likely bid to derail probe into exam fraud by SFI leaders
Answer sheets of the Kerala University examination were found at the house of R Sivarenjith.

Thiruvananthapuram: As the role of college teachers and university officials are under the scanner over the alleged examination fraud by an SFI leader who is an accused in the recent stabbing incident at the University College here, efforts are likely on to scuttle the probe.

Curiously, the college principal or university officials have not given any complaint even though answer sheets of the Kerala University examination were found at the house of R Sivarenjith, the unit leader of the SFI at the University College.

As more people are likely to be cornered over the exam irregularities, higher-ups likely intervened to scuttle the probe, it is said.

Senior police officers said that they did not order for the probe as they did not get any complaint.

The Crime Branch is yet to act even though DGP Loknath Behera had announced a probe soon after answer sheets were found at Sivarenjith's house during a police search. He allegedly stabbed a student of his college a fortnight ago. The cops had then itself given a written request to the principal to reveal the source of the answer sheets.

Answer sheets with the serial number 16 were found at Sivarenjith's house. The college authorities had informed the cops that papers bearing the number 15 were given to Shivarenjith during the exam and one to SFI unit committee member Pranav during various exams.

On some of these sheets, Sivarenjith has scribbled some illegible answers in English. Nothing is written on most of the sheets. However, the probe officer dismissed reports that said romantic notes were found on the answer sheets.

Pointing to tardy investigation, the police would move a petition only on Wednesday, seeking Sivarenjith's custody for Saturday. The cops plan to take Sivarenjith in custody for detailed questioning and for evidence-gathering. They would also question the teacher who was on duty at the exam hall when the duo wrote the exam. They have asked the principal to reveal the teacher's name.

It has been confirmed that the SFI activists did not return the answer sheets to the teacher on duty at the exam hall and instead took them home. The police suspect that the duo could have handed over the questions to those outside the hall and managed to get the answers written on other sheets and submitted those at the exam hall. The cops would probe if there were any lapses from the part of the teacher who checked these answer sheets.

The cops have also reportedly received information that other SFI leaders in the college had also committed similar irregularities, and that they got the help of certain teachers and officials at the university for this.

The dubious PSC rank list

As reported earlier the PSC rank list in which the names of Sivarenjith and Pranav appeared is also under a cloud of suspicion. While Sivarenjith secured the top rank for recruiting police personnel, Pranav secured the second rank.

A fake seal of the physical education director was also found at Sivarenjith's house.

The SFI leader had told the police, during preliminary questioning, that he fabricated the seal to prepare a fake certificate to get attendance proof and write the exam.

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