‘Our work on Vyapam scam over’, says SIT chief

The investigations in the Vyapam Scandal were being carried out by a Special Investigation Team of the state police, set up on the orders of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, till the Supreme Court ordered a CBI probe.

Bowing to public outcry, Chouhan said he will request the High Court to order a CBI probe into the Vyapam case, including the large number of deaths of people allegedly linked to the scam.

Senior advocate, Kapil Sibal, who appeared for the Petitioners, Congress leader, Digvijaya Singh as well as several lawyers, said that the High Court ought not to have quashed the FIR against the Governor on the ground that he enjoyed absolute immunity from prosecution under the Constitution.

Vyapam is a self-financed, autonomous body of the Madhya Pradesh state government, organising competitive entrance tests to professional courses. With Supreme Court’s intevention things are changing fast. Some had theorised that Yadav’s exit would possibly have put further pressure on BJP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

South Carolina also issued notice to Central government and others on petition demanding removal of MP Governor.

Chouhan said in Bhopal that he was feeling relieved and wanted the truth to come out.

The Chief Minister received about 17 letters questioning the possibility of a scam in medical college admissions between July 2011 and June 2013.

Asserting that the enquiry by CBI should have been ordered two years ago, Mr Singh poked fun at State Chief Minister Shiv Raj Singh Chouhan and Union Home Minister Raj Nath Singh for taking a u-turn on the issue. “We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will monitor the investigation over Vyapam scam on a daily basis”, said AAP leader Ashish Khetan. The Supreme Court has given four weeks time to the Centre to respond to charges.

In a volte face now Chauhan and his Ministers claim that they were always for a CBI probe.

Chouhan claimed he was being targeted as Madhya Pradesh was becoming a very progressive state.

In Lucknow, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati sought the resignation of Chouhan over the Vyapam scam.

Reports say that more than 40 people associated with the scam – including suspects and witnesses – have died under suspicious circumstances in the last two years.

The scam dates to 2007, but investigations began only in 2013 after details emerged that many unqualified and undeserving candidates had been admitted into medical and engineering colleges. Now it will be up to the CBI to take on the crucial task and prevail over power dynamics and chase links that may have potentially influenced investigations carried out by the state police and the STF.

Rai said an accused in the case had provided evidence that he handed over a bribe to the younger Yadav in the governor’s house.