ALAPPUZHA: Former SFI leader Nikhil Thomas, who is accused of forging a degree certificate, was arrested from Kottayam KSRTC bus stand around 12.30am on Saturday. He had been absconding for the past five days after Kayamkulam police registered a case against him for cheating and forgery. He was arrested by a team led by Kayamkulam SHO Mohammed Shafi. He was produced before Kayamkulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court which remanded him in police custody till June 30.
Police said the accused had confessed that he got MCom admission at MSM College, Kayamkulam, by producing a fake BCom certificate. Nikhil reportedly told investigators that he secured the certificate from an agency in Kochi with the help of another former SFI leader Abin C Raj. He transferred a sum of `2 lakh to Abin’s bank account in 2020 for this. Abin is currently working in the Maldives. Police said Abin is a co-accused in the case and steps have been initiated to bring him back. Nikhil studied BCom at MSM College during 2017-20. However, he did not clear the exam.
Later, he joined the MCom course (2021-23 batch) at the same college in January 2022 with a 2017-20 BCom certificate from Kalinga University, Raipur. The fake degree certificate controversy has put both the CPM and SFI in a tight spot following allegations that Nikhil was admitted to the college based on the recommendation of a CPM leader. Following the row, MSM College suspended Nikhil pending an inquiry on June 19. Two days later, Kerala University cancelled his MCom registration and eligibility certificate issued to him.Nikhil was SFI Kayamkulam area secretary and CPM Kayamkulam Market branch member. He was expelled from both organisations following the case.