Vyapam case: CBI conducts multi-raid operation in MP, UP

The Agency, which has to submit a status report to the Supreme Court by October 9, has so far registered 105 FIRs

For the first time in Vyapam case, Indian ace investigation agency CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) today raided forty locations in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh simultaneously in connection with the Vyapam scam, a CBI official said. According to reports a CBI team also raided ex-minister (school education) Laxmikant Sharma's home at his home town Sironj (120 Km from Bhopal), an ex-Congress leader Sanjeev Saxena and headquarters of Vyapam in Bhopal.

"The CBI conducted searches relating to Vyapam cases at around 40 places in Uttrar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh including Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Rewa, Jabalpur, Lucknow and Allahabad," a CBI official said.

The Agency, which has to submit a status report to the Supreme Court in Vyapam scam by October 9 this year, has so far registered 105 FIRs (first information reports) and launched 12 preliminary inquiries into the Vyavsayik Pariksha Mandal (Vyapam) or the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam.

The scam involves rigging of various admission and recruitment exams through committing irregularities by officials, influential people. It is also investigating 40 deaths linked to the scam following a Supreme Court order.

According to CBI sources, searches are being conducted to unearth larger conspiracy of alleged corrupt practices in the conduct of the examinations.

The agency has registered over 100 cases in connection with various aspects of Vyapam scam.

The Supreme Court has directed the agency to take over all Vyapam scam matters irrespective of their present status.