Vyapam scam: SC moved for Madhya Pradesh governor's removal

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will on Wednesday hear a plea by a group of lawyers seeking removal of Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav over allegations against him in the Vyapam scam.

A bench headed by Chief Justice H.L. Dattu on Monday said the matter will be heard on July 9, after the plea by the lawyers was mentioned before the court.

The public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by five Gwalior-based lawyers practising in the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

The petitioner lawyers contended whether Yadav, facing "serious allegations" of "involvement in a multi-crore educational-cum-recruitment scam, should be allowed to discharge constitutional functions (executive, legislative, judicial, financial or discretionary) in the state".

The lawyers contended that a first information report (FIR) was lodged against Yadav on the allegation that he recommended names of five candidates to facilitate their selection to the post of forest guards following examinations conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (or Vyapam).

The lawyers alleged that Yadav was a party to the conspiracy, and referred to media reports about the involvement of his son in the scam.

"The OSD (officer on special duty) of the governor, Dhanraj Yadav, was arrested by the STF (Special Task Force) in connection with the same scam in 2013. The son of the governor died in mysterious circumstances in March 2015," the PIL said.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court, on a plea by Yadav, quashed the FIR against him. However, it gave the investigating agencies liberty to proceed against him after he ceases to be governor.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kumar Vishwas on Monday moved the apex court seeking the monitoring of the Vyapam probe by it in the wake of deaths many people connected with it.