Thiruvananthapuram: As the police department began its own investigation into the allegation of Thrissur range inspector general of police being accused of cheating in an LLM (Masters in Law) examination, a suspension appeared on the cards for the police officer. In addition, he is facing the fury of commentators on social media.

Police IG, T.J. Jose, an Indian Police Service officer was accused of carrying ‘cheat sheets’ deftly covered in a handkerchief to the examination hall in St Paul’s College, Kalamassery, Kochi.

Jose denied the allegation, but the Mahatma Gandhi University authorities and police department officials are strongly pursuing action against him.

Northern range additional director general of police, N. Sanker Reddy began a departmental inquiry into the matter, and the report of the invigilator for the examination, P.C. Binu is adverse for the police officer.

Jose has been asked to proceed on leave and indications are that a suspension order will follow soon. The home minister, Ramesh Chennithala had commented that his action “brought disgrace to the police force”.

Meanwhile, commentators on social media poured out scorn and sarcasm on the officer. “A police officer copying in a law examination? A true law-keeper”, scoffed one, while another commented, “Politicians make crores, police resort to copies”.

Others wondered why kid-glove treatment was provided to a police officer caught for cheating, while an ordinary citizen would have faced harsh and quick punishment for such an incident. Yet another advised, “He should have gone to the toilet. In my days, copying material was usually kept there”.

Another social media commentator posted the photo of T.J. Jose receiving the certificate for passing the journalism course at the Institute of Journalism Thiruvananthapuram, from member of Parliament, Shashi Tharoor, a few years back.

Yet others commented that Kerala’s claim of high literacy must be taken with a pinch of salt, given the reports of rampant copying in examinations and the recent result of the Secondary School Leaving Certificate examination in which 98.57 per cent of the candidates passed, including one who had not even written the examination.