KOCHI: The Special Police team probing the recent admission scam at Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) will soon conduct a polygraph test on the prime accused T. Sreelakshmi at the State Forensic Science Laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram.

The test will be conducted using the polygraph test equipment set up at the laboratory. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Trikkakara) K. Sethuraman told The Hindu on Tuesday that the test would be conducted once the equipment at the laboratory becomes operational.

He said that the polygraph test would be conducted to ascertain whether the accused had received any help from either university officials or anyone outside the campus for getting an admission for the B.Tech course offered by the School of Engineering under the Cusat.

The issue came to light after the university authorities found that Ms. Sreelakshmi had used forged documents to get admission for the B.Tech. programme.

The accused who was taken into police custody was later released on bail.

Mr. Sethuraman said that the accused had already admitted that she had used forged documents to secure admission for the engineering programme.

Sources in the State Forensic Sciences Laboratory said that the polygraph test would start functioning soon. The Police Department had sent its personnel for specialised training in operating the equipment used for conducting the test.

The special team had earlier requested the Forensic Science Laboratory in Bangalore for conducting the polygraph test on the accused in the admission scam. Police had received brickbats after the entire process got delayed.

Senior officials of the Bangalore laboratory later asked the special team to forward a short note on the admission scandal for subjecting the prime accused to a polygraph test.

Sources in the Forensic Psychology Division of the laboratory had confirmed that they had received a letter from the police on July 13 requesting for a polygraph test of Ms. Sreelakshmi. But the request did not carry a note explaining the details of the case.

Mr. Sethuraman said that the special team has not ruled out the recommendation for conducting the test at Bangalore.

A Syndicate sub-committee appointed by the Cusat had found that certain pages in the personal diary of the girl were removed.

While appearing before the committee, the girl had mentioned that she had received help from her friend's father in Thrissur for getting admission in Cusat. She had also admitted that an attempt was made to secure admission in an engineering college in Kothamangalam.

Reports that a few persons would be taken into custody in connection with the admission scam faded after the special team arrived on a conclusion that the girl had secured admission by exploiting the loopholes in the admission system of the university.

A decision for the polygraph test was taken after the girl gave a statement that she did not receive any help from outside for securing the admission.

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