A day after investigative journalist Akshay Singh suddenly died while interviewing family of a Vyapam scam accused in Madhya Pradesh, state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured of SIT probe into the incident.
“It is very unfortunate. Our condolences are with his family…We are writing to the SIT with a request to carry out a thorough investigation,” he said.
Calling Akshay’s death as “extremely unfortunate”, the Madhya Pradesh CM assured that strict action will be taken against those found guilty.
Addressing a press conference in Bhopal, Chouhan said his government has no objection if the MP High Court gets the probe into the scam done by any other agency, including CBI, a demand made by Congress.
Ruling out any foul play in the incident, SP, Jhabua, Abid Khan said, “Prima facie nothing suspicious has been observed.”
Meanwhile, the body of deceased journalist Akshay Singh, who died suddenly while interviewing family of a Vyapam scam accused, was brought to Delhi on Sunday.
The last rites of the slain journalist were performed at Nigam Bodh Ghat today afternoon.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi were present when the last rites were performed.
After meeting the family members of the late journalist, Rahul tweeted, “Pained to meet the mother, father &sister of Akshay Singh. My prayers are with them in this time of terrible grief”.
In an another incident related to Vyapam scam, the 64-year-old dean of a medical college in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh was found dead this morning at a hotel in Delhi, where he had arrived yesterday. He was supposed to head for Agartala from Delhi as part of an inspection team of Medical Council of India.
The college Dr. Arun Sharma headed was linked to the Vyapam scam, which is hinged on top politicians and bureaucrats of Madhya Pradesh allegedly accepting kickbacks in exchange for allowing imposters to take the recruitment exam for government jobs and admission to colleges.
Dr. Sharma was assisting the Special Task Force that is probing the scam, providing documents on fake medical entrance examinees in the state-run medical college he headed.
“He has given over 200 pieces of information to the STF about Vyapam… I have got to know this from someone… I won’t make the name public since everyone’s life is in danger,” said Sudheer Tiwari, the president of the local unit of the Indian Medical Association.
Dr Sharma had taken over as dean of the NS Medical College only two months ago. The earlier dean, Dr DK Sakalle was found burnt to death at his home exactly a year ago.
Police sources said whiskey and some medicines were found near Dr Sharma’s bed. But Dipendra Pathak, the Joint Commissioner of Police, said they were yet to find any evidence of foul play. “We are waiting for the post mortem,” he said, which will be conducted after Dr Sharma’s son arrives in the capital.
