A gaping and murderous rabbit hole: Life and death in times of Vyapam Scam

By Ishan Kukreti

Scams have never been a stranger to the world. Every now and then, there is a scam waiting around the corner, ready to say hello. India is so used to such acts of self-interests on a mass level that their occurrence is no more a surprise.

However in Vyapam, there is something morbidly awe-inspiring and scary at the same time. In drawing rooms, although jokes on politics turn no less cynical, a note of worry is nonetheless added to them when it comes to this cash-for-jobs scam.

Maybe this is because it is a scam which is tangibly close to the masses. Just like Bofors scandal, which pulled a string in people's hearts, Vyapam has impacted the dreams of thousands of aspirants. A lot of people who, in this decade, wanted to be a doctor, engineer, management professionals, policemen, nurse, architect or even Hindi typist, feel that they have been wronged.

On second thought, Vyapam is also different because there is blood on its hands, too much blood.

There have been 35-50 deaths according to various contradictory sources, while 'over 25' remains the official count so far. Yet, since its inception in 1970, proper exposure in 2013 and commission of SIT in 2014, many names behind it remain undisclosed.

Here is a chronology that could be best compiled from the various sources available.

1970 – Pre Medical Test Board is set up by the Government of Madhya Pradesh. It will later (in 1982) transform into Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) a.k.a VYAPAM.

What is VYAPAM? – It is the only institute of its kind in the country that organizes competitive tests for entrance to various professional courses every year on a very large scale.

In 2007, Board of Directors for the self-financed Vyapam is reconstituted under Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board Act.

After a PIL by Dr Anand Rai, an ophthalmologist in 2009, Chief Minister of MP, Shivraj Singh Chauhan sets up a committee to look into the matter.

On July 26, 2011, 8 people are imprisoned for impersonation in Pre-medical tests.

Between 2000-12, 55 cases of impersonation in exams filed across Madhya Pradesh.

The scam is exposed on 6-7 July in 2013 when Indore police arrests 20 people. Based on the information elicited from them on 13 July, cops arrest Dr. Jagdish Sagar, the kingpin of the racket involved in illegal admissions, in Mumbai.

Under mounting pressure from the opposition to initiate CBI probe, CM Chauhan concedes to constituting a Special Task Force (STF), on 23 August 2013. By this time, around 13 people related to Vyapam are already dead.

As the probe of the STF continues, results of 345 students who wrote that year's PMT are canceled on October 9.

On 13 December, STF produces its charge-sheet against 34 people including Pankaj Trivedi (Exam controller MPPEB), Dr. Sanjeev Shilpkar and Dr. Jagdish Sagar's accomplice Gangaram Pipliya.

On 18 December, Vyapam gets its first high-profile name. Ex-Higher Education Minister and then in-charge of MPPEB, Laxmikant Sharma is arrested for involvement in the scam.

On 16 February 2014, based on a Gujarat forensic lab results, HC dismisses charges by Congress leader and former CM of MP, Digvijaya Singh that evidences are being tempered to protect Shivraj Singh Chauhan. Whistleblower Prashant Pandey, an IT consultant working for SIT, who is named the source of his information by Digvijaya Singh, says the evidence sent to the Gujarat lab was itself tempered. MP police files an FIR against him for leaking information.

Meanwhile, the scam swells up. Till 20 June, 500 are arrested and names of RSS chief, late KS Sudarshan, and senior functionary Suresh Soni come up.

In view of the increasing death toll and demand for inquiry by activists, MP High Court sets up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on 5 November 2014. By this time, more than 20 people related to Vyapam have been pronounced dead.

Anand Rai, one of the main whistleblowers, requests the court for security, following death threats. He is asked Rs.50,000 for it. After much struggle, he is assigned a security guard in 2015.

Prashant Panday, also facing death threats, too demands protection from Delhi High Court on 20 February 2015.

Another big name gets associated with Vyapam. MP Governor Ramnaresh Yadav is drawn into the scam on 24 February. But, as an officiating Governor, SIT couldn't investigate him. The Supreme Court will hear a case to remove him from office today.

On 25 March, Sailesh, Ramnaresh's son dies in Lucknow. His name too had surfaced in the scam. However, the family members deny foul play.

In a major shock to the fourth pillar of democracy, an Aaj Tak journalist, Akshay Singh, dies while investigating into the scam on 4 July.