CBI speeds up taking over of Vyapam cases, 5 more FIRs registered

After Supreme Court direction to speed up the Vyapam probe, CBI today registered five cases in connection with the scam, taking the total number of FIRs to over 30.

The apex court had last week directed the central agency to inform it in three weeks about taking over of investigation of maximum number of cases out of 185 arising from Madhya Pradesh's Vyapam scam.

On Saturday, CBI had registered eight cases related to Vyapam scam.

Giving details of the FIRs, a CBI spokesperson said here that a case of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy has been registered against two persons on the basis of charges of cheating by impersonation in the Constable Recruitment Examination-2013(II).

She said the second case has been registered against unknown persons on allegations of leakage of question paper in Patwari Recruitment Examinations, 2008.

The third case has been registered against 24 accused relating to alleged illegalities committed in the Police Constable Recruitment Examination conducted by Vyapam in 2012.

The spokesperson said the fourth case has been registered against four persons on the allegations of impersonation by certain persons in respect of three candidates in Vyapam- conducted Constable Recruitment Examination-2013, she said.

The fifth case has been registered against two accused persons on allegations of impersonation by certain persons in respect of one candidate in Vyapam conducted Constable Recruitment Examination-2012, she said.

On July 31, the Supreme Court bench had said CBI should be in a position to complete within six weeks the task of appointing lawyers to prosecute the cases in various special CBI courts in Madhya Pradesh. It expressed disagreement with CBI's contention that stress should be laid on setting up more special courts, at least five in Bhopal.

Huge irregularities in recruitments for various government jobs by Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, or Vyapam, are being probed by CBI following a Supreme Court direction in this regard. Professionals, high-profile politicians and bureaucrats are believed to be involved in it.

Former state Education Minister Laxmikant Sharma and several top bureaucrats are currently in jail in connection with the scam. Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav has also been accused of favouring some aspirants. While the STF had registered an FIR against him, the High Court quashed it citing the immunity from criminal prosecution he enjoys while in office.