Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav’s son Shailesh Yadav was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his official residence in Lucknow, adding yet another twist to the multi-crore Vyapam scam, which has rocked the State for the last few months.
While family sources said Shailesh (50) succumbed to a brain haemorrhage, the police could not ascertain the exact cause of death. They began investigations after sending his body for post-mortem examination.
“He was suffering from diabetes and used to sleep alone in his room. His body was found on the floor. His [blood] sugar might have risen due to which the death could have taken place. The exact cause of death will be ascertained only after the post-mortem examination,” a senior police official told journalists in Lucknow.
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Mr. Ram Naresh Yadav, who has also been named in a FIR registered by the Special Task Force probing the scam, is being treated at a hospital in Bhopal since last Tuesday, after he complained of breathlessness. He was moved to a private ward after his condition improved over the weekend. However, his condition worsened on Monday night and he was shifted to the ICU again.
Mr. Ram Naresh Yadav, a former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, had recently challenged the STF's move in the MP High Court, arguing he enjoyed constitutional immunity under Article 361.
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Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son and U.P. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan condoled Shailesh Yadav’s death.
Mr. Chouhan also visited the Governor in hospital. However, the Governor was not informed of his son’s death since “he was moved to the ICU just two days back and is not in a condition to be informed about his son’s death,’’ Raj Bhawan sources told The Hindu.
The Congress leadership in U.P. and M.P. appeared to be divided on the cause of death. U.P. Congress leader Satyadeo Tripathi, a friend of the Yadav family, said Shailesh was “under stress after his name figured in the Vyapam scam”, which could have resulted in his death.
However, the Madhya Pradesh Congress did not appear to be convinced by the natural death theory and within hours, demanded that Shailesh's death be probed by the CBI. “We demand a CBI probe into the mysterious death of Shailesh Yadav as his name had figured in the Vyapam scam,” Leader of Opposition in M.P. Assembly Satyadev Katare told reporters media persons in Bhopal.
Shailesh Yadav’s name had consistently figured in the Vyapam scam investigations, with one of the scam accused Veerpal Yadav telling the STF that he had given a list of 10 candidates and Rs 3 lakh to his friend Vijay Pal, who then allegedly passed the money and the list over to Shailesh Yadav at the Raj Bhawan in Bhopal.