K Vidya, a former SFI activist, who has been accused of forging an experience certificate while applying for a guest faculty job in a government college in Kerala has been arrested by Agali police from Meppayur in Kozhikode. She had been absconding for more than two weeks. In a statement to the police after her arrest on Wednesday night Vidya said the allegation that she submitted a forged certificate was a political ‘trap' against her and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) by the Congress.
Vidya is accused of forging her experience certificate to secure the post of a guest lecturer at Rajeev Gandhi Memorial Government College, a state-run college at Attappady in Palakkad. She told the police that she has done no wrong and is a victim of a "deep-rooted" conspiracy hatched by the Congress-backed teachers' organisation, according to reports.
Reacting to the development, veteran Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala speaking to media in Kasargod alleged that Vidya’s arrest was "stage-managed" and the fact that police took 15 days to arrest her is proof she had political protection. He alleged that Vidya could stay safe from police because she had help from the CPI(M) and SFI leaders in the state.
"Is Kerala Police so inefficient that they cannot catch an absconder?. It's because the CPI(M)-led government does not wish to arrest one of their staunch supporters. It's been more than two weeks since this grave crime done by the SFI has come out and where is Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, why is he silent?" asked Chennithala.
Vidya has been booked under Section 465 (punishment for forgery), 468 (committing forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (fraudulently using forged documents as genuine) of the IPC and will later in the day be produced before a court in Palakkad.
Nikhil Thomas, Alappuzha district committee member of the SFI, who has been accused of submitting a fake degree certificate to obtain admission for MCom course at the MSM College in Kayamkulam is also currently on the run after being suspended by the SFI.
With IANS inputs