Kerala impersonation case: Kattakada Christian College principal, SFI leader surrender before police

The two surrendered before police pursuant to a Kerala High Court order dismissing their anticipatory bail pleas in the case.

The court also directed them to surrender before the investigating officer on or before 4 July while observing that the offences alleged against the accused were serious in nature.

The court had observed that dishonest and fraudulent conduct by the accused were prima facie evident and custodial interrogation was essential.

The court has also directed the investigating officials to follow all the procedures in accordance with the law after the surrender of the duo.

As per the criminal case registered by the Kattakada police, the principal is accused of illegally substituting one of the elected UUCs with Vishak in the list despatched to Kerala University.

Also read: Kerala police confirm former SFI leader Vidya forged document

The case

In the sensational case, in which the SFI — the student arm of the state’s ruling CPI(M) — lost considerable face, the principal is accused of acting as per the directive of Vishak, who had not even contested the election held for the post of UUC.

Anagha, who was removed from the post of UUC at Kattakkada College. Photo: Supplied

The principal — incidentally a leader of the teachers’ union affiliated with the Opposition Congress — is facing charges of impersonation, falsification of documents, and misrepresentation, as is the SFI leader.

The judge opined that the allegations in the case were serious, and directed the respondents to cooperate with the investigation.

The police invoked non-bailable charges under Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant, banker, merchant, or agent), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), and 468 (forgery for purposes of cheating) of the IPC on both the accused.

They are also charged under Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust), 419 (impersonation), 420 (cheating), and 465 (forgery) of the IPC.

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No polls held, says Vishak

Soon after the judge pronounced the order, counsel for the suspended principal submitted that Shyju needed permission to surrender before the investigation on 4 July as he had to write a scheduled examination on 3 July, when he was asked to appear before the investigation officer.

Visakh, the SFI leader, who reportedly tried to take a shortcut. (Supplied)

The judge then directed both the accused to surrender before the investigation officer on 4 July.

Vishak’s counsel told the court that the 20-year-old BSc Physics student was arraigned as the second accused in the case by the police without conducting any proper investigation.

The student leader submitted that no elections were conducted in the college, and five candidates were chosen unanimously as student union office bearers.

Since one of the candidates later developed medical problems, she voluntarily resigned, and a vacancy arose, he said.

He said the principal forwarded the petitioner’s name as one of the representatives to the university union based on consensus, adding that he was not privy to the principal’s actions.

Also read: Police nab former SFI leader Thomas in Kottayam; bail for K Vidya

Prosecution counters narrative

However, the prosecution argued that a students’ union election was held in the college on 5 December, 2022, and SFI activists Anakha AS and Aromal VL were unanimously elected to the posts of University Union Councillors.

Dr G J Shyju, principal of the college. (Supplied)

When the proforma for furnishing details of the UCCs elected from the college was submitted to Kerala University, it showed the name of Visakh as the councillor elected from the college, in place of Anakha.

The police action against the principal and the SFI leader was taken on a complaint lodged by the registrar of the university.

Rejecting the bail plea, the court said the college principal was not entitled by law to nominate a person to the post of a university union representative, even if it falls vacant by resignation or otherwise.

“Dishonest and fraudulent conduct is prima facie evident on the part of the accused… The reasons and how the name of the second accused (Visakh) was incorporated as the elected candidate and the surrounding circumstances are required to be brought out during the investigation,” the court said in its order.

The court also noted that Visakh had prima facie affixed his signature and supplied his photographs to be affixed on the proforma, thereby aiding the creation of a false document.

(With PTI inputs)