KAYANKULAM: Former SFI leader Nikhil Thomas was arrested early morning today in the fake degree certificate scam. However, while questioning, Nikhil said he was tricked into the scam by his friend who is settled in abroad. Nikhil admitted to paying a humungous Rs two lakh for acquiring the fake certificate, all at the insistence of his friend.

According to Nikhil, his friend persuaded him saying the certificate from Kalinga will be authentic enough to not invite any trouble from Kerala University. Nikhil elated with the plan decided to splash a humungous total to procure the B.Com certificate from Kalinga through his friend.

Taking a hint from Nikhil's statements, his friends in abroad will also be charged with the crime.

Former SFI leader Nikhil Thomas, who was absconding after being accused in the fake BCom certificate case was caught from a KSRTC bus in Kottayam around midnight yesterday.