400 accused yet to be arrested in MPPEB scam cases, says SIT

Nearly 400 accused are yet to be arrested in two cases related to the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam, the Special Investigative Team (SIT) monitoring the probe told the Madhya Pradesh High Court here today.
Taking the matter seriously, the division bench chaired by Chief Justice A M Khanvilkar directed the SIT to submit a status report on all cases related to the MPPEB scam.
Additional Advocate General Purushendra Kaurav informed the court that in case number 12 and 13, 346 accused were arrested, while 172 are yet to be nabbed, including 122 scorers, 22 students and 28 parents.

Similarly, in case number 539/13, 427 accused were already arrested, while 218 including 137 scorers, 19 students and 62 parents are yet to be apprehended.
Both these cases are related to the MPPEB scam.
Because of wrong addresses of scorers, Special Task Force (STF) was unable to arrest them, Kaurav said.

The division bench said that a Supreme Court order on the issue directed filing of charge sheets in all cases by March 15, 2015. Despite that a large number of accused are yet to be arrested, the court observed and expressed its displeasure.
The court directed SIT to submit its report on the issue on March 4, which is the next date of hearing in the matter.

Meanwhile, in a related development, SIT Chairman Justice (Retd) Chandresh Bhushan said that the investigation officer is free to act according to the law against high dignitaries, after reporters asked him about the issue.