Palakkad: Former DYFI local leader Ganapathy K V has been booked on charges of producing a fake degree certificate to secure a job at Puducode Grama Panchayat in Palakkad. The accused is a native of Kizhakkegramam in Puducode.

A case was registered on August 24 at Vadakkenchery police station under Sections 316(2) (criminal breach of trust), 318(4) (cheating), 340 (fraudulent or dishonest use of a forged document or electronic record as genuine) and 336(2) (general forgery) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

According to the First Information Report (FIR), Ganapathy defrauded the government and the panchayat by submitting a fake consolidated grade card purportedly issued by the University of Calicut. Using the document, he secured employment as an account-cum-IT assistant at the panchayat's Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) office. He worked in the position from July 2021 to July 2026 and allegedly caused financial loss to the panchayat.

According to panchayat officials, the matter came to light after the local body decided not to renew Ganapathy's employment contract. "Only two workers were needed for the position, so the panchayat decided not to renew his contract. He went to court, and the court stayed the order. So we went through his documents again as part of the necessary steps. That is when the panchayat secretary spotted the matter and raised the issue," said panchayat member P P Krishnan.

Following this, the panchayat secretary wrote to the University of Calicut to verify his educational qualifications. The university said Ganapathy was a student there but had never completed the course. After the alleged forgery came to light, Ganapathy went into hiding. Police are currently tracing him, and further investigation is underway.