Vyapam Scam: SC notice for MP Governor removal

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Ministry of Home Affairs on a Public Interest Litigation asking for the dismissal of Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav for his involvement in the Vyapam Scam case.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice HL Dattu, Justices Shiva Kirti Singh and Amitava Roy sanctioned the proposal of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the solicitor, that the notification should be given. The appeal was registered by activist Sanjay Shukla.

The apex court had previously also decided to hear another plea pursuing the dismissal of Yadav as the Governor, for his supposed envelopment in the scam. A petition was filed against him by a group of lawyers who had sought the removal of Yadav, and asked for recordings of his testimonial in the case.

The case is presently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The multi-layer scam encompasses the rigging of employment examinations and entrance tests for specialised medical institutes; and the hiring of constables, teachers and forest guards, which were conducted from 2004 to 2012. The CBI is also investigating numerous mysterious killings of whistleblowers fighting against the scandal.

The scam has several deaths to its name, and life threats are being given to whistleblowers trying to assist the CBI in accelerating the investigation. "When the central agency took up the Vyapam scam investigation, we were hopeful that the probe would pick up the pace but they have simply copy-pasted the FIRs registered by the special task force (STF) earlier," said Bhopal-based whistleblower Ajay Dubey, in an interview with a newspaper.

Till September, the CBI had recorded 83 First Information Reports (FIR) and initiated twelve primary investigations into the Vyavsayik Pariksha Mandal (Vyapam) also known as the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam.

The recent notification given by the apex court has come as a sign of substantial growth in the case and a hope of superior and nonbiased judgment in the case of activists fighting for justice.