Congress Calls CM Shivraj 'Root of Vyapam Scam', Submits ‘Original Hard Disk' as Evidence With Trial Court

Bhopal: The Congress party on Saturday said it has submitted the original hard disk containing evidence with the court as part of the criminal complaint filed by AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh in connection with the Vyapam scam.

Accompanied by senior lawyers and party leaders Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha, Singh recorded his statement at a local court on Saturday.

"Digvijaya Singh has submitted the copy of a document connected with the Vyapam scam in which Chouhan's name figures 48 times," Sibal told reporters after the court appearance. “The Indore police had seized the hard disk containing Vyapam evidence on July 17, 2013, but the police tampered with the evidence and showed the seizure on record as 4.30pm on July 18,” he alleged.

The Congress also threatened to file a case in connection with the e-tendering scam.

The Vyapam scam refers to irregularities in exams held by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, also called Vyavasayik Pareeksha Mandal or Vyapam, for admission in professional courses and state services.

"Digvijaya Singh has recorded statements before the court and Anand Rai (the whistleblower) and Prashant Pandey will testify before the court next," Sibal said.

The BJP however, termed Congress party’s charges a result of frustration. “They can’t go to the public so they are approaching courts when elections are near,” minister Narottam Mishra told reporters, adding that by repeatedly approaching courts, the Opposition has shown its defeated mindset. He said the Congress was only trying to mislead public and taint the chief minister's image.

Reacting to Singh’s petition, Union minister Uma Bharti tweeted, “I personally want to know how my name featured in the matter since March 2014. Whoever unravels the mystery would offer me immense relief.” In a separate tweet, she said, "If the roots of Vyapam scam are exposed, I would be a happy person as I was the one who suggested a CBI probe to the MP government on December 6, 2013."

Earlier, the STF had investigated the scam. In 2016, the Supreme Court had directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the Vyapam scam. The central agency had given Chouhan a clean chit in the case.