Congress wants CBI to conduct Vyapam investigation in public domain

The Congress Party on Tuesday demanded that the investigation into the mysterious spate of deaths linked with the Vyapam scam should be conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in public domain under close monitoring of Supreme Court appointed SIT.

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said that had the probe into the Vyapam deaths case been ordered in 2013, it would have been over by now.

"The powerful people would have been in jail and innocent people who are in jail would have become eye witnesses. By innocent people, I mean all those who probably thought the only way to get into a medical college or employment in government was paying a bribe while appearing for Vyapam," Digvijay Singh told the media here.

"Now that investigation will restart, we would like the whole investigation to be done by CBI under the close monitoring by SIT appointed by honourable Supreme Court which should monitor this on a weekly basis and in public domain," he added.

Briefing media after a Cabinet meeting in Bhopal today, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said he has agreed for a CBI probe in the Vyapam case.

Chouhan said that CBI will also investigate the mysterious deaths of more than 40 people related to the case.

He further said that when the case comes before the Supreme Court, the state government will extend its support for CBI probe.

The Vyapam scam involved the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board or Vyapam, which holds the exams for positions like medical officers, constables, teachers and auditors for government departments.

The candidates allegedly bribed government officials to make it to the list of those who cleared the test.