STF soft on accused in MPPEB scam: Congress

The Congress on Saturday alleged the special task force (STF), probing the professional examination board (PEB) scam, is soft on several main accused in the scam, especially those with links with BJP leaders, and is saving them because it was functioning under the state government's pressure.

Addressing a press conference, Congress chief spokesperson KK Mishra said several accused in the PEB scam were being given a long rope because of their BJP connections.

"Gulab Singh Kirar is wanted in connection with the PEB scam case, but he moves around freely, attends events and STF shows no interest in arresting him."

"The former chairperson of PEB, Ranjana Chaudhary, allegedly got Rs 70 lakh from other accused in the scam and this is mentioned in a STF charge-sheet too, yet she was not arrested. Similarly, Ajay Shankar Mehta has not been arrested in forest guards’ recruitment scam," he further said.

Also, he alleged that Raghvendra Singh Tomar, who was accused in the pre-medical test (PMT) 2012 examination fraud, was made to give his statement under section 164 of the CrPC, and turned into an approver, just to save him despite his role in the entire scam. Tomar was saved because of his links with the BJP, Mishra alleged.

He alleged that Tomar, whose family owns a factory in Mandideep and a realty firm, was in cahoots with the Nitin Mahindra, the main accused in the scam.

"Ineligible candidates who paid money were brought to his factory a night before the exam and they prepared here, and next day appeared in exam, and later were declared successful," he added, citing the charge-sheet in the case filed by STF.

Mishra alleged that rupees worth crores were seized by investigators from PEB scam masterminds Jagdish Sagar and his kin in Indore, Mumbai and Gwalior, but the money wasn’t showed in records to weaken the case.

Reacting over the charges, BJP spokesman Vishwas Sarang said the investigation into the PEB scam is totally fair and unbiased. The Congress keeps on raising same issues repeatedly to confuse and derail the investigation, he added.

"Actually the appointments of those mainly involved in the scam were made during the Congress regime and the party fears that their leaders' name might get dragged in. Therefore they carry on these diversion tactics," the spokesman said.