BHOPAL : The spell of deaths of accused in Vyapam scam due to some reasons or the other has developed a sort of fear amongst the relatives of high-profile accused too.
Former Minister Laxmikant Sharma, who is in jail for more than a year, has lost 10 to 12 kg weight in the past one month. Sharma is suffering from hypertension and his blood pressure shoots up many a time. His kin have become apprehensive after the deaths of accused Narendra Singh Tomar and Rajendra Arya on Sunday.
Umakant Sharma, brother of Laxmikant Sharma, in a conversation with Free Press said he his brother had become very weak. He added that he would discuss this matter with legal experts and bring this to the notice of court. Sharma said mysterious deaths of Vyapam accused is a cause of concern. He said his brother is innocent.
Dr Vinod Bhandari, owner of Aurobindo Medical College, who is also in jail, is unwell. Bhandari, who is a patient of Diabetes and Hypertension, is suffering from anxiety.
Sources said Bhandari has to take insulin dose three to four times and he is also taking other medicines. Mohit Bhandari, son of Bhandari, said he is unable to understand what is going on. Mohit said he has no fears but wants the case resolved as soon as possible. Other accused namely OP Shukla, Sudhir Sharma and Yogesh Upreet are also not keeping well. Shukla was admitted to hospital more than a dozen times in the last one year. Upreet is suffering from cancer and undergoing treatment at Mumbai. A close relative of Sudhir Sharma said he is suffering from depression.
STF to prosecute “whistle-blower” for fabricating evidence
The Special Task Force on Vyapam scam will take action against self-proclaimed whistle-blower for submitting ‘fabricated evidence’ in the form of Excel sheet after getting data of pen drive. Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Justice (Retired) Chandresh Bhushan gave a hint in this regard. It has already submitted report regarding the contents of the pen drive submitted by whistle blower Prashant Pandey in Delhi High Court as prima facie ‘bogus’. Recently, STF chief Sudhir Sahi submitted a written request in High Court to get data of the pen drive for investigation. It created a huge controversy. The STF acted on the directions of the SIT that got free hand from the High Court for action against those who tried to mislead investigation and submitted ‘fabricated evidence’. The STF chief submitted the request in High Court with opinion of IT expert and member of SIT CLM Reddy, retired deputy director of NIC, who stated in the High Court that there was no problem in copying the contents of Pen Drive without any complications, by using a write blocker. The High Court, however, sought opinion from advocate general and deputed two senior advocates as amicus curie to find out legal implications of copying the contents in the light of Evidence Act. In the excel sheet, it was alleged that it contains the word ‘CM’ which was replaced by investigation officers at early stage in the Vyapam scam. Meanwhile, the SIT has already taken a note on DMAT scam with getting 33 representations from general public. It submitted to High Court recently that STF gave it some information about the scam. Still 17 complaints are pending.
