15 fresh FIRs in Vyapam likely

The CBI, investigating the multi-crore recruitment scam in Madhya Pradesh, is likely to file 15 fresh FIRs against former officials of the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB), popularly known as Vyapam.

According to sources, the agency, which has so far registered more than 114 FIRs in connection with the Vyapam scam, is now probing the role of senior officials of the MPPEB who allegedly helped students by manipulating their answersheets. “Investigations by the agency have revealed that in certain cases the candidates in question were reportedly asked to leave their answersheets blank and were given high marks in the exam by some suspected MPPEB officials,” sources said.

“The agency sleuths also found that in some cases students were supplied with solved answersheets before they took the exam by the suspected officials. The agency is preparing a list of MPPEB officials who indulged in such illegal practices. At least 15 FIRs may be registered against the suspected Vyapam officials,” sources said.

CBI probe has revealed the scam involved collusion among candidates, government officials and middlemen. “Undeserving candidates bribed MPPEB officials through middlemen to be seated strategically next to a brilliant dummy candidate, who was also paid money. The dummy candidate let them copy from his sheet or exchanged the sheet at the end of the exam,” sources said.

The Supreme Court on in July, 2015 had transferred the probe of all cases related to Vyapam scam to the CBI. Vyapam is a government body responsible for conducting several entrance tests in Madhya Pradesh. It recruits for government jobs and admissions to educational institutes. Vyapam scam is allegedly a well orchestrated rigging of entrance exams to help undeserving candidates, who allegedly bribed politicians and officials through middlemen, to get high ranks in these entrance tests. The Vyapam scam dates back to 2004. More than 2000 people have so far been arrested in connection with the scam. So far 44 people related to the Vyapam scam have turned up dead.