Alappuzha: Kerala University has sought an explanation from MSM College, Kayamkulam on the admission of Nikhil Thomas, the accused in the fake certificate case, by Wednesday evening.
The university registrar has asked the principal to furnish a detailed explanation over Nikhil's degree and application for MCom admission.
Meanwhile, Kerala University vice chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal blamed MSM College for oversight.
“Why didn't the college identify the fake certificate of the student who failed to clear the degree exams in the same college?" he asked.
"The university will take stern action; such actions won't be tolerated. No one will be allowed to destroy a university which strives to be one of the top universities in India. If MSM College fails to give an explanation by this evening, the university will initiate further action. The principal must confirm the authenticity of the certificates during admission. So, the college is responsible for this grievous crime,” the vice chancellor told media on Wednesday.
The former SFI leader allegedly secured MCom admission with an allegedy fraudulent degree certificate issued by a Raipur-based private institution named Kalinga University.
Nikhil goes underground
The accused, Nikhil, is no longer traceable. A day after Kalinga University confirmed Nikhil's certificate as fake, Kayamkulam police intensified the search for him.
The police on Wednesday took into custody a local CPM leader into custody for allegedly helping Nikhil to flee from law enforcement. The leader in question reportedly accompanied Nikhil to meet SFI state president PM Arsho when the deceit came to light.
The case
At the time of MCom admission, Nikhil had furnished a degree certificate purportedly from Kalinga University claiming that he was a student at the university between 2019 and 2021. In fact, Nikhil studied BCom at MSM College in the 2018-20 period, but didn't clear the exam. In 2021, he enrolled for MCom in the same college with degree certificates issued by Kalinga University for the 2019-21 period.
A complaint before the Alappuzha SFI district committee helped to blew the lid off the fraud. Alappuzha district committee removed Nikhil after another SFI member submitted the complaint.
How could Nikhil study at two colleges under two different universities in the same period, the complainant queried.
On Tuesday, the SFI state committee expelled Nikhil from the outfit citing that he tried to mislead the union with false claims.
