Virtually ruling out his resignation, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on Wednesday said his government would urge the Supreme Court also to order a CBI probe into the Vyapam scam.
“The Congress and the opposition cannot tolerate the path of progress under me in Madhya Pradesh. They have been demanding my resignation from the beginning. They are bringing disrepute to Madhya Pradesh,” he told reporters here when he was asked about the demand for his resignation.
Chauhan, who is in the capital for discussions with party leaders, said the matter relating to Vyapam scam would be coming up before the Supreme Court on Thursday.
“We requested the (Madhya Pradesh) High Court that the probe should be done by CBI. The matter is likely to come up before the Supreme Court tomorrow. We will make the same prayer there too,” Chauhan said.
While accusing Congress of leveling baseless allegations against him, he said the Congress party was playing politics over the unfortunate deaths in the Vyapam scam.
#BREAKING | #MadhyaPradesh CM @ChouhanShivraj says he also requests #SC to order #CBI probe into #VyapamScam pic.twitter.com/iRVmaCeLFb
— Focus News (@FocusNewsIndia) July 8, 2015
We will appeal to the #SupremeCourt to let #CBI probe #VyapamScam: #MadhyaPradesh CM @ChouhanShivraj pic.twitter.com/kjjAERqUjj
— Focus News (@FocusNewsIndia) July 8, 2015
#Congress is not concerned with the #Vyapam deaths, they only make baseless allegations against me: @ChouhanShivraj
— Focus News (@FocusNewsIndia) July 8, 2015
#VyapamScam | From day first when I became CM of #MadhyaPradesh, #Congress has been demanding my resignation: CM @ChouhanShivraj
— Focus News (@FocusNewsIndia) July 8, 2015
In another development, Jabalpur high court is likely hear the application moved by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government on Wednesday.
According to reports, the court is likely to hear seeking transfer of investigation in the multi-crore MPPEB or the Vyapam scam, including the deaths allegedly linked to the scam from the Special Task Force to the CBI.
Congress on Tuesday dismissed MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s decision to request the High Court to conduct a CBI inquiry into the Vyapam scam, insisting that a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe could alone ensure a “fair” investigation.
“Latest decision of Shivraj to write to High Court for CBI probe is another attempt to muzzle the truth. Congress rejects it in toto. For a fair probe and justice to victims, Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe is the answer,” party’s communication department chief Randeep Surjewala said.
ALSO READ: Vyapam Scam Silly Issue, PM Modi Need Not Comment: Law Minister Sadananda Gowda
“Time BJP owned up to truth instead of putting repeated roadblocks of lame duck excuses”, he said.
Accusing Chouhan and the BJP leadership of “hoodwinking the truth and attempting to derail investigation”, he said the Chief Minister had earlier rejected a SC-monitored CBI probe into the 49 deaths.
ALSO READ: Vyapam Scam: Now Shivraj Singh Chouhan Recommends CBI Probe After Facing Flak
The spate of mysterious deaths in Vyapam Scam seems to be never ending, for hardly a day passes when someone or the other does not die or commits suicide in the case. Ramakant Pandey, a constable deployed at Orchha police post in Madhya Pradesh, was the latest victim of the Vyapam Scam to die under mysterious circumstances on Monday, hours after a woman trainee sub-inspector recruited by the state board was found dead in a lake. Pandey was found hanging at the police post.
ALSO READ: Vyapam Scam: Uma Bharti Says ‘Very Deep Conspiracy’, Demands Probe Against Shivraj Chouhan
“Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asks for an independent probe. Ms Uma Bharti says she fears for life of her
supporters. STF chief Chandresh Bhushan says STF officers have concern for their own security”, Surjewala noted.
The Congress leader charged that all of this was “classic BJP doublespeak to quieten and muddle the truth”.
ALSO READ: Vyapam Scam: Supreme Court To Hear Digvijaya Singh’s Plea On July 9
Meanwhile, while addressing a press conference Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence and demanded a Supreme Court-Monitored CBI probe into the Vyapam scam.
PM #Modi should end his silence & take corrective actions in the #VyapamScam: @JM_Scindia | http://t.co/FfqHx9Br7H pic.twitter.com/IFj4HZq7Bz
— Focus News (@FocusNewsIndia) July 7, 2015
There must be a #CBI enquiry in #VyapamScam under the supervision of #SupremeCourt : @INCIndia‘s @JM_Scindia pic.twitter.com/6g03136rAC — Focus News (@FocusNewsIndia) July 7, 2015
Congress leader Digvijay Singh criticised the Prime Minister’s silence on the issue.
“The Prime Minister remains mum in the country, he only tweets about what is happening in Tunisia, Algeria,” he said. Singh, who has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe in the scam, said he would request the apex court to monitor the probe on a weekly basis as it monitored the 2G scam.
Asked whether the Chief Minister should resign, Singh said if Chouhan was in the Congress party, he would have been removed long back.
“Moral standards of Congress and BJP are different,” he stated.
Replying to a question, he said the “needle of suspicion” was on the chief minister.
The Congress reaction came after Chouhan, bowing to public outcry, said that he will request the high court to order a CBI probe into the Vyapam case, including the large number of deaths of people allegedly linked to the scam.
Vyapam Scam: 47 Deaths ‘Abnormal, Not Mysterious’ Says SIT Chief
The series of deaths of those associated with the Vyapam scam do not look “mysterious” but come forth as “abnormal”, the chief of Special Investigation Team (SIT) monitoring the probe into the case said on Tuesday.
Justice (retired) Chandresh Bhushan told TV news channels that he has asked the Special Task Force (STF) constituted to probe the admission and recruitment scam to “enquire” into these cases and tell the SIT how “these fellows have died”.
“I would not like to use that word (mysterious). I will say there are certain deaths and those deaths are not normal deaths… So, if they have any connection… I am only interested in knowing if there is any connection with Vyapam scam… I will call them abnormal deaths,” he said.
Vyapam Scam Accused Falls Sick In Jail, Recovers
Meanwhile, O P Shukla, former OSD to Laxmikant Mishra and an accused in the Vyapam scam, was on Tuesday discharged from the Government Hamidia Hospital here and sent back to jail.
He had been admitted to hospital last evening on a court order after he complained of illness.
Shukla (44) had worked as Officer on Special Duty for the jailed former state minister Laxmikant Mishra who is also a prime accused in the scam.
Shukla is suffering from muscular dystrophy, high blood pressure and diabetes, Superintendent M R Patel of Central Jail, Bhopal, said.
(With Inputs From PTI)