Shivraj must quit for neutral Vyapam probe: Congress

Asked why his name was being dragged into the scam, Chouhan slammed the Congress party saying it is because he has become an “eyesore” (kaanta) in the eyes of the opposition in the state as he is not allowing them to win any election.

More than 40 people associated with the admission and recruitment racket in Vyapam – Vyavsayik Pariksha Mandal or Professional Examination Board – have died since 2013, either in mysterious circumstances or have committed suicide. Impersonation in examinations by replacing the candidate’s photograph on the admit card by that of a brilliant student was done in collusion with the officials.

Elsewhere in the country, the body of the dean of a medical college implicated in the cheating was discovered in a Delhi hotel room on Sunday.

On June 4, a television journalist covering the story in Madhya Pradesh died mysteriously.

The petition stated that a whistleblower had produced incriminating material on alleged tampering of evidence by the Indore police to benefit Chouhan. What’s causing alarm in Madhya Pradesh is that people connected to the state’s investigation into the alleged scam keep dying. Shailesh (50) was found dead at his father’s residence in Mall Avenue area of Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow on March 25, 2015.

The court had then said that since the MP High Court was already monitoring the probe being carried out by an SIT, there was no point in ordering probe by the CBI.

Singh has accused the BJP and its ally the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of protecting influential people allegedly involved in the two-year-old scandal which is now being investigated by a state-government appointed team and monitored by the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

The Vyapam scandal, with its many unanswered questions and intrigue, has been pounced upon by a flagging Congress party to try to reinvigorate its fortunes both in Madhya Pradesh state and nationally. I bow my head to people’s wishes.. “We will request the same to Supreme Court now”, he said.

Bharti said she felt “sorry” for Shivraj Singh Chouhan, describing him as “sensitive”.

The multi-crore rupees skilled examination rip-off, includes a number of excessive-profile professionals, politicians and bureaucrats as accused.

“The Congress has produced forged documents to try and frame me, about which I will speak later”.

“Their only objective is to target me and tarnish my reputation”, he said at a news conference. “There is no question of Chouhan quitting as the Chief Minister”.

Mr. Singh, a former MP chief minister, and whistleblowers – Ashish Chaturvedi, Anand Rai and Prashant Pandey – have also moved the apex court seeking a CBI probe under its supervision. Once the high court set up the SIT to monitor the probe, the state government had nothing to do with it at all, he stated. “For a fair probe and justice to victims, Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe is the answer”, party’s communication department chief Randeep Surjewala said.

Meanwhile, Chouhan, who was in Delhi, said his government will urge the Supreme Court to order a CBI probe, but virtually ruled out his resignation.