Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) has decided to probe how Students' Federation of India (SFI) leader Sivarenjith, the first accused in the stabbing of a final year undergraduate student at the University College in Thiruvananthapuram, got the first rank in its examination to select civil police officers.
SFI leaders Pranav got the second rank while Naseem bagged 28th rank in the same examination. Naseem is the second accused in the case.
Allegations of recruitment fraud cropped up after the voilence at the University College. The allegations also cast aspersions on the credibility of the Public Service Commission, which recruits employees to various state government departments.
In a face-saving move, the KPSC chairman M K Zakir said on Monday that the internal vigilance wing of the organisation will probe the allegations of fraud. “The appointment order of the three would be kept on hold till the PSC get the probe report. They will be dropped from the list if the probe found them guilty,” Zakir said.
The Kerala University has also announced a probe after answer sheets and fake seals were found at the house of the first accused.
Varsity likely bent rules
It has emerged that the Kerala University had likely bent rules to let Sivarenjith win grace marks.
Sivarenjith was given exception allegedly by the university to take part in the inter-university archery competition competition for the past two years even though he did not have the required qualifying points.
The qualifying norms were completely done away with in 2017, while the qualifying point was cut to half last year.
Sivarenjith managed to secure only the 158th spot in the last year's inter-collegiate archery compound event, in which 161 students participated. However, by participating in this competition, he managed to get grace marks in the PSC police rank list.
Though last year, the qualifying mark was initially reduced to 400 points, it was further cut to 200 points. Then Shivaranjith, who had only 203 points, made it to the inter-university competition. Only four people took part in the event and Shivaranjith easily qualified with the second position.
The universities in Kerala have stipulated points for qualifying for each inter-university event. Inter-collegiate winners can only take part at the inter-university level if they secure these points. (Only those who win more than 600 points in the archery compound event were sent by Calicut and MG universities in the earlier years. However, in 2017, the Kerala University decided to do away with the qualifying points.)
The police are also investigating the authenticity of Sivarenjith's certificate proving participation in interzone handball event as only the signature of the physical education director was found on it.
Moreover, the state Archery Association clarified that Sivarenjith was not a recognised archery star and had not even participated in a single district competition. It was alleged that he participated in the lesser-known archery competition, aiming for the grace mark in the PSC sports quota. Among them, the compound event sees fewer contestants.
Heart injury
Meanwhile, the doctors have said that Akhil Chandran had suffered injuries to his heart in the stabbing incident. He is still undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit as there were chances of catching an infection if moved to the ward.
Though fluctuations were detected in the ECG, his condition is said to be stable now. Depending on expert opinion, they would consider shifting him to the ward, hospital superintendent Dr M S Sharmad said.
Proving Sivarenjith's role in the stabbing, injuries were found on his arm. After the incident, blood stains were found on the hands of Sivarenjith and Naseem, the other accused Adil and Aromal have said.
The police also said that AN Naseem and other accused have confessed that they had attacked Akhil.
Akhil had told the police that he was stabbed by Sivarenjith as Naseem held on to him. The injuries and the accused statements justify Akhil's words.
Accused Sivarenjith, Naseem, Adwaith, Adil, Aromal and Ijab have been remanded for 14 days by a court here over the attempt-to-murder case. The college, which was shut after the Friday’s violence, would continue to remain closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Classes hereafter in assault room
The college council has meanwhile decided to convert the SFI unit office as classroom after it was widely said it was being used as an assault room and weapons storehouse by its activists.
The police had found liquor bottles, knives and rods during a search in the room.