Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) leader Semi Khan (21) of Madathara Ozhukupara, Kollam, was arrested on July 3 for forging the NEET examination mark list for MBBS admission and for trying to cheat the Court. He did not qualify for NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) 2021-2022 and forged a fake mark list to secure admission. Then, he moved the Court and submitted that he got two mark lists, one with maximum marks and another with minimum marks for the NEET examinations. He argued that he was eligible for admission based on the mark list with maximum marks. He submitted that the maximum mark he got was 468.
Accordingly, the Court summoned the officials of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and asked the District Superintendent of Police to conduct an investigation. After the investigation by the Police and Police Cyber Cell, the truth was unearthed: Semi Khan’s mark list was fake. And he was arrested and remanded. Police said they would take the leader of the youth wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) into custody for further interrogation. Semi Khan is a former leader of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), a student of the wing of CPM.
This is the latest episode of blatant forgery, and fraud young comrades have been practising in the realm of education. Since the last couple of months, such cases have been hitting print and electronic media headlines. K. Divya, senior SFI leader, forged an experience certificate from the legendary Maharaja’s College, Kochi and worked in two colleges with the forged certificate’s support. She was caught red-handed when she appeared for an interview at the third college. As soon as the case was registered, she went underground; police ‘could not arrest her as her mobile phone was switched off.’ At last, she was arrested and jailed and later on released on bail. Now, she blames the principal of the third college for ‘forging the experience certificate to trap her’.
Then SFI state secretary P M Arsho was issued a ‘pass certificate’ for his semester examinations, whereas he was not registered for the examinations nor had he even appeared for them.
Afterwards came the shameful incident of Nikhil Thomas of MSM College, Kayamkulam, Alappuzha district. He failed in the B Com examinations. However, he forged a BCom ‘passed’ certificate from Kalinga University. It showed the same period of his course in MSM. And based on the forged BCom certificate, he got MCom admission in the same MSM. He aped his leader Divya: Switched off the phone, and went into hiding. After several days he was arrested. Then the story of forgery was unfolded. Abin C. Raj, Nikhil’s leader in SFI, is arrested for organising the fake BCom certificate for him (Nikhil). It was alleged that Nikhil had paid him Rs 2.5 lakhs as the price. The man was teaching in the Maldives. But, as soon as the case was registered in Bharat, he lost his job. Hence he came back and was arrested at the airport. Then reports came that he had ‘’organised’ Kalinga certificates for several people.
In Christian College, Kattakkada, Thiruvananthapuram, the principal helped the impersonation of an SFI leader. Anakha, the SFI girl, was elected as the University Union Councillor. But, her name was deleted, and the principal gave the name of Visakh, a ‘fake winner’ to the university; he had not even contested the college students’ union election. The principal is blamed because ‘he did it sans the knowledge of Visakh’. At last, the principal is expelled, and Varsity Syndicate has imposed a penalty of a fine of Rs 155,938 on the college.
Visakh surrendered before the police today, July 4. Dr Shaiju is also expected to surrender today. Since the deadline set by High Court expires today, they have no other option. Both Dr Shaiju and Visakh have been absconding since they were exposed. High Court had rejected their application for anticipatory bail.
Why do these crimes recur in Kerala? Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has boiled down the answer to this question in simple terms: “Becoming a member of a particular student organisation (read SFI) means you have a passport to do all sorts of illegal things”.
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