India: Senior Kerala police official caught 'cheating' Published duration 5 May 2015

image copyright AFP image caption A senior Kerala police official has been ordered to conduct an inquiry

A senior police officer in the southern Indian state of Kerala has been ordered to go on leave after he was allegedly caught cheating in a law exam.

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennitala told BBC Hindi that an inquiry had been ordered into the incident.

Inspector General of Police in Thrissur TJ Jose was allegedly found copying by the invigilator from photocopied pages of a textbook during Monday's exam.

Mr Jose denied the charge and called it a conspiracy to malign his reputation.

"Nobody has caught me for copying, no papers have been recovered from me. The examination began at 10am, and I finished writing my paper at about 12 and I came out. Nobody has given me any report of copying," The Times of India quoted him as saying.

The official, however, admitted that his senior had sought an explanation from him on the alleged incident, the paper adds.

Reports said Mr Jose was caught by an invigilator who did not know his identity. The invigilator informed the university authorities and the police official was asked to leave the examination hall.

Mr Chennitala said he had ordered a senior police official to hold an inquiry and submit his report "immediately". The university has also instituted its own investigation.

Cheating in exams in India is not uncommon - in March, more than 1,000 men were arrested in the northern state of Bihar over the use of impersonators and false papers for police recruitment tests.

Also in March, more than 300 people, including many parents, were arrested in the state after an outcry over photographs of mass cheating in secondary school exams.