Vyapam scam: CBI conducts searches at 40 places in UP, MP

New Delhi, September 24

The Central Bureau of Investigation conducted searches at some 40 places in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in connection with the multi-crore recruitment scam Vyapam on Thursday.

Sources in CBI said investigators conducted searches in many major cities of both states, including Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Rewa, Jabalpur, Lucknow and Allahabad.

Properties owned by Jagdish Sagar — the suspected brain behind the massive swindle —Dhanraj Yadav, a former OSD to Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav, in Lucknow; and former MP Minister Laxmikant Sharma were among those searched.

Investigators were mainly looking to uncover other corrupt practices in conducting examination, sources claimed.

Houses of other suspects who played key roles in the scam, such as Bharat Mishra; Vinod Bhandari; Sudhir Sharma; Om Prakash Sharma; and Nitin Mahindra were also being searched, as is the the office of MP Professional Examination Board.

CBI, which took over investigations into the case from Special Investigation Team and Madhya Pradesh Police’s Special Task Force in July, has so far registered more than 105 cases.

The scam is believed to involve professionals, high-profile politicians and bureaucrats. Sharma and several top bureaucrats suspected to have to have been part of the mammoth scandal are currently in jail.

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 in office.

Congress claims some 45 people suspected of having been connected to the case in some way have died mysteriously. Yadav's son Shailesh, who was suspected of being involved in one of the several Vyapam cases, is among those who died. — PTI