Alappuzha/Thiruvananthapuram: The police probe into the fake degree certificate scandal involving former Students Federation of India (SFI) leader Nikhil Thomas has picked up pace. Early investigation revealed Nikhil handed over Rs 2 lakh to a former leader of his organisation in likely bid to procure the fabricated document in his bid to gain post-graduate admission to MSM College, Kayamkulam.

The latter is suspected to have arranged the fabricated document for Nikhil, revealed preliminary police probe into the scandal that has embarrassed the CPM.

The investigation team has secured evidence of Nikhil sending Rs 2 lakh from his bank account to that of the ex-SFI leader, who was the Kayamkulam Area President of the party back in 2020. He is now a teacher abroad.

The said person earlier allegedly ran an agency that helped students get admission to various universities, and the police suspect he arranged fake certificates for many. The cops have also started efforts to bring him to Kerala and interrogate him to shed more light on the case.

CPM local leader taken into custody
A CPM Kayamkulam area committee member, who was with Nikhil the day before he went into hiding, was taken into custody by the police yesterday for questioning. He was taken into custody in the morning and was released at 7 pm.

Eight more persons, including an SFI leader of Law College, Karilakulangara, who is a native of Chavara, were quizzed yesterday.

Nikhil fled in advocate’s car
A police hunt for Nikhil is on. He could not be nabbed even after three days of registering the case. He had gone into hiding on the night of June 19 in a lawyer's car. The latter who is a CPM activist was taken into custody the other day and questioned for hours.

The cops managed to collect the CCTV footage of Nikhil driving this car from Kayamkulam to Kollam. The lawyer was then questioned again yesterday.

Nikhil's phone has been switched off since June 19.

As per mobile phone signals police concluded Nikhil, who was in Thiruvananthapuram on June 18, stayed at Varkala for the night and left for Ernakulam in the morning. He returned to Kayamkulam in the evening. The phone was then switched off at 7 pm.

Probe team beefed up
The investigation team, led by Kayamkulam Deputy Superintendent of Police G Ajaynath and Inspector Muhammed Shafi, has been expanded to include three more inspectors: R S Bijukumar, V S Shyamkumar, and G Jayakumar.

University finds college report unsatisfactory
Meanwhile, the MSM College has submitted to Kerala University a report on the fake certificate issue. However, it was found “not satisfactory” as all the information sought was not provided. Dr Mohanan Kunnummal, the Vice-Chancellor, didn’t reject the report despite being sketchy.

More time has been allotted to the college to furnish more details. The details of the members of the admission committee, which gave admission to Nikhil and the minutes of the committee meetings held in connection with the PG admission process, will be sought, besides that of the teachers in the Commerce Department and their tenure.

The reply received will be placed in the Syndicate meeting on June 27, along with the report from the college. The last meeting of the Syndicate, whose tenure ends on June 30, will be held on June 27. Therefore, further action will have to be decided in this meeting itself. The Syndicate is unlikely to appoint a sub-committee as its term is coming to an end.