NEW DELHI/BHOPAL, July 9:
The Supreme Court today ordered a CBI investigation in the massive admission and recruitment scandal in Madhya Pradesh that will also encompass deaths of people related to it as more skeletons tumbled out of the Vyapam cupboard with yet another witness reported dead.
Admitting a clutch of petitions seeking a CBI probe into the scam, the court also issued notices to the Centre and Madhya Pradesh government on the plea for removal of Governor Ram Naresh Yadav, who was made an accused in one of the cases but got relief from the high court on the ground of immunity from prosecution he enjoys while in office.
A bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu asked the premier investigative agency to take over all Vyapam cases from the Special Task Force of the MP police by Monday and submit to it a report on July 24, when the court will take a call on monitoring the investigation, as sought by the petitioners.
The apex court’s order transferring all Vyapam-related cases to the CBI came after the state government gave its consent to shifting investigation from the Special Investiation Team (SIT) and the Special Task Force (STF).
Before handing over the probe to the CBI, the apex court took on record the submission of Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who on behalf of the MP government said the state has no objection to transferring the investigation in Vyapam scam and deaths of people allegedly related to it.
“The Attorney General (AG) on instruction states that MP govt has no objection whatsoever for transferring the investigation of criminal cases relating to Vyapam scam to the CBI and the cases related to deaths of those allegedly connected with the scam for free and fair probe.
“We appreciate the stand of the AG. In view of the above we transfer investigation of all criminal cases relating to Vyapam scam and death of people allegedly related to it, to CBI,” the bench, also comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy, said.
The court was hearing a clutch of petitions filed by Congress leader Digvijay Singh, whistle blowers in the scam Ashish Kumar Chaturvedi and Prashant Pandey, besides AAP leader Kumar Vishwas and a group of lawyers.
Even as the apex court ordered a CBI probe, reports came in from Bhopal of a special court having been informed about the death of yet another witness in the scam.
The Special Task Force of MP police, which hitherto investigated the scam, told the court that Sanjay Singh Yadav, aged around 35, died from illness at a private hospital in Bhopal on February 8. According to his family, he was suffering from Hepatitis-B.
Congress had claimed yesterday that 49 people connected to the scam had lost their lives so far.
The Supreme Court, while issuing notices relating to the Governor that are returnable after four weeks, refrained from making any remarks on him when Kapil Sibal, appearing on behalf of Digvijay Singh demanded that Yadav demit office to maintain its dignity.
“We are not going to say anything on it,” it said.
Yadav’s son Shailesh, an accused in the case who was alleged to have accepted bribe for rigging Vyapam examination to favour some candidates, was the most high-profile person linked to the scandal to have died mysteriously. His body was found at his father’s lucknow residence in March this year.
A beleagured Chouhan, whose credibility has been severely dented following the scam, hailed the apex court’s order, saying,”I welcome it wholeheartedly. There was a burden on my heart.”
Speaking to journalists in Bhopal, Chouhan said he would request the CBI to begin investigation at the earliest “so the truth comes before the country, the people, and justice is done”.
He rejected Congress’ demand for his resignation. “They ask for it (his resignation) 5-6 times a day.
Reacting to the developmengt Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying” I have just one question. Mr Prime Minister, what you say must carry weight.
“You said ‘na khaoonga, na khane doonga’. Why are you allowing corruption in Rajasthan? What are you doing to bring back Lalit Modi,” he said. (PTI)
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