Didn’t call Vyapam simple, silly, says Sadananda Gowda

Bhopal/New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) In a dramatic U-turn, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday announced he had recommended a CBI probe into the Vyapam recruitment scam, but the Congress insisted that he must resign for a fair investigation.

ED investigators, based in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, have also attached assets worth over Rs 3 crore of an alleged mastermind of the scam, Jagdish Sagar, in connection with their probe in April. “Until these investigations are completed, it is untenable for the MP chief minister to continue in office”. After controversy involving external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje over Lalit Modi issue, BJP is trying to play safe, at least till the monsoon session of the Parliament.

The BJP called the Congress “confused” after the opposition party dismissed a CBI probe into the Vyapam scam, insisting on a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe instead.

Aam Aadmi Party activists stage a protest against the death of the people linked with the Vyapam scam in Bhopal.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had yesterday said the State government can not order a CBI probe into the scam. Observing that a high court-monitored special investigation team (SIT) is already inquring thecase, Mr Chouhan said, “I have full faith in the judiciary but recent events have led to an atmosphere that the probe should be carried out by the CBI”.

“We are just monitoring the probe as per the orders of the High Court and if the High Court decides some other agency would do it, (then) there is no question of any feeling on my part”.

Even while disposing of a number of PILs seeking a CBI probe earlier, the High Court and Supreme Court expressed satisfaction with the ongoing STF probe, he said.

So far, over 40 people, both accused and witnesses, have died under mysterious circumstances. Uma’s outburst – the open statement of a Central minister – had considerably weakened the position of the CM, forcing him to agree for the CBI probe. Sharma’s death came a day after Akshay Singh, a journalist of the TV Today group, doing stories on Vyapam scam trail, died minutes after he had interviewed the parents of a deceased accused.

Also in the last few days, a policeman who had been questioned in connection with Vyapam was found hanging from a ceiling fan and a trainee policewoman allegedly recruited through the crooked process was found dead in a lake. “I am sending a request to the High Court that the CBI be allowed to investigate the Vyapam scam”, said Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday, taking all parties, including his own Bharatiya Janata Party by total surprise.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also criticised the Prime Minister’s silence on the issue.