Vyapam scam: CBI may book former MP governor

Putting to rest all speculations that the alleged role of former Madhya Pradesh governor Ram Naresh Yadav in the infamous Vyapam scam may be overlooked, at least for the time being owing to his ill health, the CBI has dropped indications to implicate him in the scandal by seeking certain documents from the Raj Bhavan here.

Sources in governor’s office disclosed to this newspaper on Sunday that the CBI, probing the scam that gained notoriety following death of 44 people directly or indirectly linked to it during its investigation, has sought access to visitors’ register of Raj Bhavan.

“The agency has been granted permission by special CBI court to access Raj Bhavan visitor’s register. Accordingly, the CBI counsel has sought a certified copy of visitors’ register of governor house on Saturday,” sources revealed.

Interestingly, the CBI has sought access to Raj Bhavan visitors’ register in a separate case related to sub-inspector recruitment test scandal 2012 of Vyapam scam.

Earlier in February 2015, special task force (STF) of MP police, which was investigating the case before CBI, had lodged an FIR against the then governor Mr Yadav alleging his involvement in forest guard recruitment test scam- 2012.

However, the MP high court had quashed the FIR citing immunity enjoyed by Mr Yadav as governor then. The high court had, however, granted that the governor’s alleged role in the scam may be probed after he demitted office.

CBI has, in fact, taken everyone by surprise by initiating a move to probe role of the former governor in another case under Vyapam scam even as no clear indications have so far emerged from the agency if it was mulling to reopen the earlier case against him.

MP Professional Examination Board (MPPEB), or Vyapam scam relates to irregularities in recruitments in government jobs and admissions in different medical colleges in the state in the past several years.