File Photo: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. (PTI Photo)
The Vyapam scam - and the deaths of 35 people with links to it - has left the government of Shivraj Singh Chouhan battling accusations of a perfidious conspiracy.
Here is a 10-point guide to the controversy:
The scam erupted in 2013- with reports that bribes were being paid by those seeking admission to medical colleges. In exchange for kickbacks, politicians, bureaucrats and others were allowing imposters to take the admission exam. Similar "proxy candidates" were used for recruitment exams for jobs as government teachers and doctors.
Vyapam is acronym for Vyavsayik Pariksha Mandal.
Since the investigation into the scam began, 35 people have died. They include witnesses, accused, those assisting the investigation and a journalist who was covering the scam.
Since August 2013, the investigation is being handled by a Special Task Force of the Madhya Pradesh police.
In 2014, the Madhya Pradesh High Court rejected demands for a CBI inquiry from the Congress and others.
Instead, it appointed a committee with three members headed by a former judge - to monitor the police inquiry.
This committee is intended to serve as a watchdog for the inquiry, the High Court has said.
There are 2,500 accused in the scam; 1,900 are in prison. About 500 are missing, the police has told the court.
55 cases have been filed so far.
The opposition Congress says that 77 lakh candidates have paid bribes as part of the scam.
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