ALLEPPEY: Former SFI leader Nikhil Thomas, who was arrested in the fake degree certificate case, has been released into police custody. The court allowed him to be kept in custody for seven days for taking evidence. The prosecution argued for 14 days and the defense argued for two days of custody in court. The court will consider the bail application of Nikhil Thomas on June 27, before which the court has asked the police to submit a report on the 26th.

Nikhil revealed during the preliminary interrogation that he was cheated by his friend abroad. Nikhil's statement was that he bought the fake certificate by paying Rs 2 lakh with the help of his friend. He also stated that his friend said that he was getting an original certificate of Kalinga University and that there will be no problems with submitting this certificate to Kerala University. That is why Nikhil submitted the same certificate for MCom admission. Based on the statement, Nikhil's friend and former SFI area secretary Abin C Raj is likely to be made an accused by the police. Police are trying to bring him home from the Maldives.

Meanwhile, Nikhil, who had been absconding alternately in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts for the last five days, was caught by the police at 12.30 am today. Nikhil Thomas was arrested at Kottayam KSRTC bus stand under the leadership of Kayamkulam CI Mohammad Shafi. The police had interrogated Nikhil in the night itself.