SC directs CBI, MP govt to file details on probe, charge sheets in Vyapam scam

Bhopal/New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) In a sharp rebuke, the Supreme Court, on Thursday, criticised the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Madhya Pradesh government in a case linked to the Vyapam scam.

The apex court has directed both the CBI and the state government to submit complete details of the investigation carried out so far and provide information about all charge sheets filed in the matter.

The court has asked for an affidavit explaining how and to what extent the 320-page complaint filed by the petitioner (Paras Saklecha) was included in the probe and subsequent charge sheets.

The Supreme Court expressed strong displeasure over the failure of the CBI and the state government to file a satisfactory reply despite earlier notices.

A bench comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice N.V. Anjaria has now directed both parties to file detailed affidavits on the progress of the investigation.

The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for April 16.

Paras Saklecha had approached the apex court challenging the decision of the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

He said that important facts and documents related to the Vyapam scam were ignored during the investigation.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court had earlier dismissed his petition, saying that he was not a directly affected party.

In 2014, Saklecha had filed a detailed complaint along with supporting documents highlighting irregularities in the Pre-Medical Test (PMT) and other examinations conducted by Professional Examination Board, also known as Vyapam, an acronym in Hindi.

Following a Supreme Court order in 2015, Saklecha submitted a comprehensive 320-page complaint to the CBI.

Although the CBI and the Special Task Force recorded his statements, the petitioner alleged that no meaningful action was taken on his complaint.

Due to inaction by the investigating agencies, Saklecha moved the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2023.

His petition was dismissed in April 2024, after which he filed an appeal in the Supreme Court.

The Vyapam scam, which came to light in 2014, exposed large-scale irregularities in recruitment examinations in Madhya Pradesh.

It started with the use of impersonators, in the PMT examination and later spread to several other recruitment tests, including those for police and transport departments.

The case was later transferred from the State Special Task Force to the CBI.

In an attempt to improve its image, the name ‘Vyapam’ was changed three times and is now known as the Madhya Pradesh Employees Selection Board.

–IANS

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