The Supreme Court has been asked to monitor the probe into the Vyapam scam.
A petition was filed in the Supreme Court today asking that the investigation in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board scam, or Vyapam, be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The petition pointed out that the Madhya Pradesh High Court cannot monitor the investigation, since the children of some of the judges and judicial officers have been named as beneficiaries of the scam. It asked the top court to monitor the scam.
The petition filed in the top court today by activist Anand Rai and others, said so far, 44 accused in this case have died under mysterious circumstances. Due to this scam, the whole education system in the state has been corrupted, it said.
In March, the Supreme Court had turned down an earlier appeal for CBI probe into the matter, saying the STF was to complete the investigation by July and the Madhya Pradesh high court was monitoring the investigation. No interference was called for at that juncture, the court had said.
The fresh petition was filed after two more accused in the scam died within 48 hours. One of them - Narendra Singh Tomar - died under mysterious circumstances and his family said they suspect foul play. At least 23 others accused in the case have died so far.
The state government has already turned down the Congress demand for CBI Probe.
"The deaths of people linked to the Vyapam scam are natural...there is no foul play behind it as alleged by the Congress," Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Babulal Gaur has told NDTV.
Around 3000 people have been named in the massive allegations of corruption in the board's conduct of examinations since the investigation in the case began in 2012. Around 1800 people are in jail, including politicians. Nearly 500 people are said to be absconding.