Certificate forgery case: Accused K Vidya claims innocence after detention; 'Always excelled in academics'

Certificate forgery case: Former SFI leader K Vidya was nabbed in Kozhikode on Wednesday (June 21). She was absconding for over two weeks after filing a case against her in the fake certificate case to obtain a job as a guest lecturer in a government college. 

Palakkad: Former SFI leader and accused in the Maharaja's college certificate forgery case K Vidya was taken into custody by Agali police on Wednesday (June 21) evening, after 15 days of filing a case against her. However, Vidya rubbished the charges and alleged political conspiracy against her. When confronted by the police, Vidya pleaded her innocence, claiming she had never submitted a fake certificate and had always earned academic success. Vidya claimed in her testimony that the issue is being driven by a teachers union that supports Congress.

She claimed that after an assessment of her academic results, institutions chose her as a guest lecturer. The accused will be interrogated at the DySP office today and then produce before the Mannarkkad court by noon.

The Agali police nabbed Vidya who was on the run from her friend's house in Kozhikode. It is believed that Kuttoth, where Vidya sought hideout is a CPM bastion.

Based on complaints made by the principals of Karinthalam Arts and Science College in Neeleswaram near Kasaragod and Attappady Government College in Palakkad, Vidya has been charged under non-bailable sections for allegedly attending a job interview for a guest lecturer position using forged documents. Ernakulam Central police have also filed a case against her based on a complaint filed by Maharaja's College.

The development comes at a time when the police and the home department, which is run by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, have come under fire for the delay in her arrest. The main accusation that gained attention was that the government had been attempting to protect her because she was a former member of SFI, a student organisation affiliated with the CPM, the current ruling party.

The accused has been charged under IPC Sections 465 (forgery), 468 (committing forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (using forged document as genuine).