THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Kerala cricket team captain Rohan Prem is entangled in a police case for allegedly securing a Central Government job using a forged university degree. Two months ago, the Accountant General’s Office had sacked the cricketer from his job as auditor and a police investigation is progressing against him. The Cantonment Police here registered a case against Rohan in November 2017 under the IPC sections for forgery and cheating based on a complaint filed by the AG’s Office.
Rohan had reportedly produced a certificate issued by the Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, to secure a job at the Central Government office. That was in 2015. Later, the authenticity of the certificate came under a cloud. Verification by the AG’s Office proved that it was fake. The university reportedly informed the office that they had not issued the degree to Rohan. The AG’s Office sacked Rohan in June last year and filed a complaint with the Cantonment Police. The police is yet to get hold of the incriminating certificate.
A left-handed batsman, Rohan had captained the Kerala Ranji team in 2012-13 and 2016-17. So far, the police have not initiated any formal action against the cricketer. The investigating officers have written to the university for clarifications.
‘’The AG’s Office says that they had returned the certificate to him after verification. So it is with him. We have not got hold of it yet. But we have written to the Bundelkhand University. We are awaiting their reply,’’ Cantonment SI B M Shafi said.
Meanwhile, the cricketer was unavailable for comment. The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA), however, has not taken any action against the player who is still active. According to KCA media manager Krishnaprasad, the cricketing body has not been formally intimated about the case. ‘’The KCA needs to take action only if it is a matter pertaining to cricket,’’ he said.