The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday launched probe into mysterious deaths of five people associated with Vyapam scam. The central agency has sought details into deaths of Namrata Damor, Vijay Patel, Rajendra Arya, Deepak Verma and journalist Akshay Singh.
The CBI has asked the Ujjain, Kanker, Gwalior, Jhabua and Indore Police for case records relating to Namrata Damor's death.
The autopsy of second year medical student Namrata Damor had bought a new twist to the high profile scam. The autopsy of Damor, who died mysteriously in 2012, has revealed that her death was a homicide. The findings of the report show that she was murdered by 'asphyxia' which would mean that she was choked to death.
Akshay Singh, a TV journalist with the India Today Group reporting on the Vyapam scam died under mysterious circumstances in Madhya Pradesh on July 4. The journalist suddenly took ill and died after having interviewed parents of a girl who had been found dead near railway tracks after her name figured in the scam.
Earlier in the day, the CBI registered two FIRs in the multi-crore scam. The first FIR is in 2010 Pre-Medical Test exam against 21 candidates and is registered under section 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 474 and 120B of IPC. The second FIR is against eight accused in 2011 Pre-PG exam and is registered under section 419, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120 B of IPC and under Madhya Pradesh Recognised Examination Act.
On July 13, the CBI took over the probe in the Vyapam scam, the massive admission and recruitment scandal, which has rocked Madhya Pradesh and dented the credibility of the state's BJP government.
Getting down to business, a CBI team led by a Joint Director-level officer from the agency's headquarters in Delhi began preliminary consultations with MP Police's Special Task Force (STF), which hitherto investigated the numerous cases related to the scam.
The STF was probing the cases under day-to-day monitoring by the MP High Court-appointed Special Investigating Team before CBI was asked to step in following a huge public and political outcry over a number of deaths of people linked to the scam, some of them unexplained.
The 40-member CBI contingent headed by Joint Director RP Agarwal held discussions with Sudhir Sahi, head of the STF.
A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu had on July 9 transferred the probe of all Vyapam cases, including the related deaths, to CBI, which was directed to take over the probe on Monday.
The premier investigative agency has been asked to file its report to the apex court on July 24 when it is likely to take a call on monitoring the investigation as demanded by some petitioners including Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh.
The scam involves professionals, high-profile politicians and bureaucrats with hundreds of people including aspirants and their parents in jail. Former MP Education Minister Laxmikant Sharma and several top bureaucrats are also behind the bars.
The role of MP Governor Ram Naresh Yadav has also come under cloud for allegedly favouring some aspirants. The STF had registered an FIR against him but the High Court quashed it citing immunity from criminal prosecution he enjoys in office. Supreme Court has also issued notices to Yadav and the Centre and state governments on petitions seeking his removal from the post.
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