The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered an end to the monitoring of the Vyapam scam cases after a Central Forensic Sciences laboratory (CFSl) report testified there was no tampering done to the hard disk seized as crucial evidence in the case alleging the role of political functionaries of the State in the scam.
Disposing a petition filed by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and several whistleblowers who uncovered the scam in recruitment made to professional institutions and admissions carried out in medical/dental courses in the State through a common entrance examination, the apex bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and NV Ramana was of the view that the apprehensions of the petitioners had been taken care of.
Since a bunch of 170 matters arising out of Vyapam scam have stood transferred to CBI, the court directed the investigating agency to pursue trial in 117 cases where investigation was over while strive to complete investigation in 38 cases within three months.
Although a request was made by the petitioners represented by senior advocates KTS Tulsi and Vivek Tankha to continue monitoring in these cases as 38 cases are still pending probe, the bench felt there was no need as their biggest apprehension that the hard disk was tampered stood as conclusive evidence. The petitioners had alleged that the disk contained an Excel sheet in which the name of Chief Minister was substituted with Minister in order to save the incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan.
With CFSl Hyderabad lab testifying there was no tampering, the state government stood vindicated. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi who appeared for state said, “We had said it from day one, this is a political game. CFSl report proves we were right and the MP High Court was right.” Tulsi said that he hoped CBI does not become a “caged parrot”. The petitioners were granted liberty to approach the Court if and when the need arose. The Court directed the trial court to deal with the cases expeditiously and be free to consider the acceptability of the CFSl report since the apex bench did not go through its contents.