Major embarrassment to Kerala CPI(M) as another SFI leader accused of faking certificate

There were allegations that SFI leader Thomas was given admission on recommendation by the political leadership.

CPI(M)'s student organisation Students' Federation of India (SFI) faced a significant embarrassment on Monday when a degree certificate presented by an SFI local leader for admission to a post-graduate institution was discovered to be fake.

Nikhil Thomas, an SFI local leader of MSM College at Kayamkulam in Alappuzha district, was accused of presenting a fake commerce degree certificate from Kalinga University in Raipur for admission to the MCom course.

The SFI is already caught up in rows over its state secretary P M Arsho being declared pass by Maharaja's College in Kochi in the post-graduate semester even though he did not appear for the exam. Another former SFI activist Vidya K was accused of faking a teaching experience certificate to apply for jobs.

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Arsho on Monday tried to defend Thomas stating that the degree certificate from Kalinga University submitted by Thomas was not fake. Though he was left red-faced after the university authorities told the media that Thomas did not study in the college and legal action would be taken against him for faking the university's certificate.

Kerala University V-C Mohanan Kunnummal said there were serious flaws as Thomas was enrolled in BCom at MSM College during 2017-20, but did not pass the exam. But he produced a phoney Kalinga University BCom degree certificate. It is a serious flaw that the MSM college gave admission to him for MCom even as he did BCom at the college and failed, said Kunnumel.

There were allegations that Thomas was given admission on recommendation by the political leadership.

The MSM college authorities suspended Thomas, currently in MCom second year.

Arsho blamed rackets at other state universities for the phoney credentials after they came to light. He also said that the Kerala University V-C was also accused of pursuing political objectives by registering for two programmes at two universities.

Arsho had recently filed a complaint against a woman reporter accusing her of conspiracy against him by reporting about declaring he passed exams that he did not attend.