The Massacre called the "Vyapam Scam"

Introduction

Vyapam is a Hindi acronym for 'Vyavsayik Pareeksha Mandal' or the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB), which is a government body responsible for conducting various entrance tests in the State.

The much talked about “Vyapam Scam” refers to the large scale irregularities reported in the admission and recruitments for various entrance tests in Madhya Pradesh by the MPPEB, since 2004.

The scam has assumed greater significance as it involves the names of prominent politicians, senior government officials and businessmen. The scam involves a collusion of undeserving candidates, who bribed politicians and MPPEB officials through middlemen, to get high ranks in these entrance tests.

It may be noted that, by July 2015, more than 2000 people had been arrested in connection with the scam and a total of 23 witnesses, whistle blowers and others connected with the scam have died unnatural deaths under mysterious circumstances.

Unearthing of the Scam

In the year 2009, a complaint in the form of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by Indore-based activist Dr Anand Rai against the irregularities that reportedly occurred during the conduct of the Pre-Medical Test (PMT).

The MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan established a Committee to investigate the irregularities so reported. Based on the findings of the Committee in 2011, more than hundred people were arrested by the police.

The magnitude of the scam assumed alarming proportions and a Special Task Force (STF) was established in 2012, which further investigated and revealed in 2013 that several politicians and officials were deeply involved in the scam.

The prominent culprits, who have been arrested in connection with the scam, include the State's Ex-Education Minister, Laxmikant Sharma, more than a hundred politicians, several MPPEB officials, bureaucrats, middlemen, students and their parents.

The Special Task Force (STF) of Madhya Pradesh police made a shocking revelation that Vyapam officials rigged five more recruitment tests, i.e. Pre-PG, Food Inspector Selection Test, Milk Federation test, Subedar-Sub Inspector and Platoon Commander Selection Test and Police Constable Recruitment Test. These were all held during 2012 for government jobs in the State.

Methodology Adopted

The methodology adopted by those involved in the scam to get the undeserving candidates high marks in the exams, included:

Impersonation: A bright student impersonated for the actual candidate for a hefty sum of money by replacing his photograph on the Admit Card by his own and after the exam, it was changed back to the original. All this was done in collusion with the corrupt Board officials.

Organised Copying: The Board officials manipulated the seating plan to facilitate cheating. The person who was given money to help others was strategically placed to allow others to copy from his sheet and the examiners were bribed to fix it.

Manipulation of OMR Sheets: The candidates, who had bribed the officials, were asked to leave their answer sheets blank. They were randomly given high percentages after the exam.

The concerned authorities of the Board, as a cover up plan, then would file an RTI demanding to view those answer sheets.

They then filled in the answers in the OMR booklet according to the marks they have already been given.

This was done so that if someone were to ever check those answer sheets, there would not be any loopholes that could give them away.

Allegations against the Governor and the Chief Minister

In 2014, the Indian National Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had submitted a 15-page affidavit before the Special Investigation Team, alleging that the investigators were shielding the Chief Minister. However, the MP High Court rejected the submission after due investigation.

On 24 February 2015, the State Governor, Ram Naresh Yadav, was charged for criminal conspiracy in rigging the MPPEB forest guard recruitment examination and his son Shailesh was an accused in the contractual teachers' recruitment. Shailesh was found dead in mysterious circumstances at his residence in March, 2015.

Deaths of Persons Connected with Scam under Mysterious Circumstances

A STF report has recently revealed that ever since the investigations commenced in 2012, a total of 23 persons connected with the scam have died under mysterious circumstances. Although, some media reports claim that more than 40 people associated with the scam have died.

The Special Investigation Team officials have raised concerns that the arrested people were naming those who were already dead, in order to mislead the probe.

A total of eight persons have died during this year alone, of which, five persons have died since 28 June 2015. It is strange that most of these persons complained of chest

pain or liver infection or died of a heart attack and the post mortem reports have not been able to establish any foul play.

Latest Cases of Mysterious Death: Arun Sharma, Dean of the Jabalpur-based Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Medical College.

Mr Arun Sharma was found dead in a Delhi hotel on 05 July 2015. He was said to be compiling a list of students who gained admission illegally.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan insisted that he could not recommend a CBI inquiry into the case as a Special Investigation Team was probing the scam under the supervision of the Madhya Pradesh High Court and ordering an investigation by any other agency was the prerogative of the court.

Prior to this incident, a journalist, Akshay Singh died under mysterious circumstances on 04 July 2015, while reporting on the scam.

Conclusion

The spate of senseless deaths, that too under mysterious circumstances, goes on to show that how ‘life is cheap’ in our country.

Considering the gravity of the situation, it is perhaps time now for the centre to effectively intervene and ensure safety of human lives, transparency in the ongoing investigation and time bound disposal of the case.