Row of SFI leader ‘clearing’ exam in Kerala: FIR against journalist, college principal

Earlier this week, as the incident snowballed into a controversy, the college had claimed that Arsho figured in the list of the passed candidates due to a technical glitch.

In the FIR, registered on Friday, Arsho has alleged that the accused conspired to tarnish his image and that of SFI, the students’ wing of the CPI(M). The FIR alleged that they circulated a fake mark list.

Arsho filed a complaint with Kochi city police after opposition Congress and its students’ organisation, the Kerala Students Union, created a furore over the mark list scandal. The student leader alleged that although he did not appear for the exam, the college authorities had forged a result showing him as passed.

Following the complaint, police on Friday registered a case against college examination coordinator Vinod Kumar, principal V S Joy, KSU state president Alotious Xavier, Maharaja’s College student C A Fazil, and Asianet reporter Akhila Nandakumar.

The FIR has invoked IPC Sections 120 B (conspiracy), 465 (forgery), 469 (forgery for harming reputation), 500 (defamation), and Section 120 (o) (causing nuisance and violation of public order) of Kerala Police Act.

The FIR said the college principal and exam coordinator had prepared the result that wrongly showed Arsho as having cleared the papers. Others, including the journalist, had allegedly spread this “false news” on social media, leading to defamation of the complainant, Arsho, and his organisation, it stated.

Asianet did not react.

Condemning the development, the Kerala Union of Working Journalists said, “The case was registered against the journalist for reporting news. It’s anti-democratic and an infringement on media freedom. The case was registered for reporting allegations raised by KSU leader on Live television.”