Supreme Court to hear Vyapam scam PILs on July 9

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear a batch of PILs related to the Vyapam scam on Thursday, including one seeking removal of Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav. 

Some petitions are also seeking a court-monitored independent investigation but Home Minister Rajnath Singh said until the court orders, the government will not order a CBI probe. 

So far, over 40 people, both accused and witnesses, have died under mysterious circumstances.

A three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice H L Dattu fixed the matter for hearing on July 9, after a counsel urged the court for early listing of the special leave petition filed by whistle-blower Dr Sanjay Shukla and others challenging the May 5 Madhya Pradesh (MP) High Court order, quashing an FIR against the governor. 

The apex court is likely to take up all the petitions, including the one by Congress leader Digvijay Singh. Yadav, who was appointed as governor in 2011, was named as an accused in the scam last year. Yadav’s name was later removed from the case because his office entitled him to immunity from the investigation.  

Yadav’s son, Shailesh, is among the people linked to the scam who have died over the last three years, triggering



allegations of a murky inquiry by the Opposition.

The Vyapam scam involves the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board or Vyapam, which holds exams for positions like medical officers, constables, teachers and auditors for government departments, besides admission to professional colleges.

The candidates reportedly paid officials and middlemen to make it to the list. 

Singh, after a meeting with MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said, “If the Supreme Court and the high court feel the SIT is not investigating the case properly and that a CBI inquiry must be initiated, the MP government would be ready for it”.

“SIT (special investigation team) is investigating this, and the SIT is not working under the MP government, but under the high court’s supervision,” he added. 

Aam Aadmi Party leader Kumar Vishwas approached the apex court on Monday requesting it to take cognisance of the scam and monitor the investigation.

He contended that despite the high court monitoring the SIT investigation, there was no headway in the probe and the people linked with it continued to die under suspicious circumstances. In the last three days, three deaths linked with the Vyapam scam have come to light.