MPPEB case: STF submits status report before MP high court

Jabalpur, June 30: The Special Task Force (STF), probing the alleged Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam, today filed a status report in the High Court which is monitoring the investigation.

The report was submitted in-camera by top STF officials before a division bench of Chief Justice A M Khanvilkar and Justice Alok Aaradhe.

"The report was submitted in a sealed envelope to the division bench," said Additional Advocate General (AAG) Puhspendra Kourav. STF chief Sudhir Shahi and Assistant Inspector Generals (AIG) Kamal Mourya, Ashish Khare and Rajesh Chandel were present in the court.

The STF informed the court about the arrest of former state minister Laxmikant Sharma in connection with the scam and a reward it has announced against those who are absconding. The STF also told the court that the accused being arrested in connection with the scam are questioned on the basis of evidence gathered against them.

The court has fixed the matter for July 18.

A total of 139 petitions had been filed before the high court alleging wrongdoings in the examination and recruitment of candidates and 20 out of them have sought a probe by CBI.

Though the court rejected these petitions and also the demand for a CBI probe while observing that STF is conducting the probe in a fair manner, it decided to monitor the investigations as demanded by the petitioners.

A total of 56 FIRs have so far been registered in the scam. The alleged scam has been hogging the headlines for quite some time with opposition Congress demanding a CBI probe alleging involvement of the "high and mighty."

Congress has already demanded a Special Investigating Team (SIT) probe monitored ideally by the Supreme Court or by the High Court.

PTI