Initiating its probe into the Vyapam scam, the CBI on Wednesday registered FIRs in two cases related to rigging of examinations, naming among others a member of the Madhya Pradesh Backward Classes and Minorities Commission and his son.
The FIRs have been registered in connection with the Pre-Medical Test of 2010 and the pre-PG Examination 2011.
The Central agency had on Monday taken over all Vyapam scam cases from the Special Task Force of the Madhya Pradesh Police. The Supreme Court while handing over the investigation to the CBI had also asked it to probe the deaths of people linked to the Vyapam scam. According to the Congress, 49 people associated with the massive admission and recruitment scam have died mysteriously so far.
The CBI has named 21 candidates in the FIR in connection with Pre-Medical Test 2010, booking them under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery among others, sources said.
In the second case against eight suspects in Pre-PG examination 2011, the agency has registered FIR under same sections.
Those named in the FIR include Gulab Singh Kirar, a member of the MP Backward Classes and Minorities Commission and his son Shakti Singh Kirar.
Others named include Sudhir Bhadauria and Pankaj Trivedi, both former controllers of examination with Vyapam.
The premier investigative agency has constituted a >40-member team headed by Joint Director R.P. Agarwal to probe the scam in which several high-profile politicians and bureaucrats are accused.
The scam involves massive irregularities and corruption in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) or MP Vyavsayik Pareeksha Mandal, abbreviated in Hindi as Vyapam.
Noting that it will not allow even one more death, the Supreme Court transferred all criminal and death cases linked to the Vyapam scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a “fair and impartial” probe.
The Supreme Court has ordered a CBI probe into the multi-crore cash-for-jobs scam in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board that has resulted in unexplained deaths of key accused and witnesses.
A Trail of graft and gore
- 1982: Vyaysayik Pareeksha Mandel (Vyapam) set up to conduct entrance examinations for pro-fessional courses
- 2008: Recruitment tests for government Jobs also included
- July 5, 2009: Widespread irregularities in recruitments come to light
- 2009: Medical exam paper leaked; first complaint filed
- December, 2009: Chief Minister forms panel to probe scam
- Jul 7, 2013: Police register FIR, arrest 20 impersonators
- Jul 16, 2013: Jag-dish Sagar, kingpin of scam, arrested
- Aug 26, 2013: STF takes over probe, 55 FIRs registered
- Oct 9, 2013: Admissions of 345 examinees cancelled
- Dec 18,2013: Ex-Higher Education Minister Laxmikant Sharma booked
- Jun 29, 2015: SIT says 23 people related to scam died due to 'Unnatural causes"; unofficial count puts figure at 46
- July 7: Chouhan agrees to CBI probe
The Whistleblowers
Ashish Chaturvedi, 26-year-old social activist from Gwalior, claims CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan is a key player in the scam.
Prashant Pandey, cyber expert roped in by the STF, retrieved key Vyapam files.
Anvil Rai, Indore-based RTI activist flied a PIL which led to the probe.
Vyapam scam
High-profile deaths
> Shailesh Yadav
He was found dead at his home in Lucknow in March. He was accused of taking money to help candidates from Bhind clear the exam for contractual teachers.
> D.K. Sakalley
He was the Dean of Jabalpur Medical College. He was also allegedly linked to the scam; he died of burns under suspicious circumstances.
> Akshay Singh
He worked for TV Today group, died soon after interviewing parents of a girl who was an accused and had herself died in suspicious circumstances.
> Arun Sharma
He was also the Dean of the Jabalpur-based College. He was probing fake examinees in the Scam. He was found dead in a hotel in Delhi.