Kochi: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has called for the immediate removal of the director general of education (DGE) in Kerala, alleging that the official fraudulently secured his Indian Administrative Service (IAS) position. VHP state general secretary Anil Vilayil made the demand on Friday, claiming that Asif K Yusuf, who failed to complete his probation over the past decade, was abruptly elevated to the critical post to serve the vested interests of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Allegations of Fraud and Concealment
Vilayil alleged that Yusuf's family owns a prominent clothing chain and that he obtained his IAS position by concealing assets and submitting a fraudulent non-creamy layer certificate under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. “Despite being a partner in a profitable business with family assets worth over Rs 70 crore, he claimed an annual family income of less than Rs 1,80,000 and no income tax liability at the time of his civil service application,” Vilayil stated.
Fake Certificates and Investigation
According to Vilayil, Yusuf presented fake income and non-creamy layer certificates, which were influenced and produced by the then Kanayannur tahsildar, to the central government. Following the revelation of this fraud, former Kerala chief secretaries Tom Jose and Vishwas Mehta sent an investigation report to the Centre, stating that Yusuf was not eligible for the OBC non-creamy layer category and that the certificate was fake. This led to the cancellation of the certificate by the government, and subsequently, his IAS appointment was revoked.
Legal Proceedings and Alleged Collusion
Vilayil noted that while Yusuf has approached the high court against the proceedings, the case has been repeatedly adjourned over the past four years due to the government’s alleged collusion. He questioned how a person who obtained a position through fraud could be expected to make fair decisions in the education department, which handles the most legal appeals. Vilayil warned that if the government does not review this decision, the VHP will take strong legal action.
