Noting that it will not allow even one more death, the Supreme Court on Thursday transferred all criminal and death cases linked to the Vyapam scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a “fair and impartial” probe.
The CBI will effectively be in charge of the investigations from Monday.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu, Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy said the question whether the probe should be monitored by the apex court can be decided later in consultation with the premier investigation agency.
Slamming the Madhya Pradesh High Court for deferring an application made by the State government for a CBI probe, Chief Justice Dattu said it seemed the High Court merely “wanted to wash its hands of the responsibility and lobbed the ball into the Supreme Court.”
The apex court made it clear that with the CBI on the case now, the High Court will not “touch” the Vyapam cases.
The Special Task Force, supervised by the High Court-monitored Special Investigation Team, has lodged a number of FIRs relating to illegal admissions/recruitment totalling 55 cases, of which 45 related to admissions in professional courses and 10 to recruitment in government services on the recommendation of high-profile persons.
The court scheduled the next hearing for July 24 even as senior advocate Kapil Sibal sought an early date, saying every day, people related to the scam were being found dead.
“We will not allow the number of deaths to go up from 36 to 37 or 38. Not one more will die,” Chief Justice Dattu told senior advocates Mr. Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Indira Jaising appearing in the batch of petitions filed by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and three whistle-blowers.
“The toll is 48 not 36... anyway this is not cricket that we celebrate if the toll hits half century,” Mr. Sibal responded.
During the hearing, Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Madhya Pradesh government, said the State was already in favour of a CBI probe and the apex court could decide whatever it wanted.
Stand appreciated
The court agreed with Mr. Rohatgi’s submission that it was left entirely to the Bench to decide whether the CBI probe should be monitored by the Supreme Court.
“We appreciate the stand of the Attorney-General,” Chief Justice Dattu said in reaction to the M.P. government’s stand.
The CBI will effectively be in charge of the investigations from Monday.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu, Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy said the question whether the probe should be monitored by the apex court can be decided later in consultation with the premier investigation agency.
Slamming the Madhya Pradesh High Court for deferring an application made by the State government for a CBI probe, Chief Justice Dattu said it seemed the High Court merely “wanted to wash its hands of the responsibility and lobbed the ball into the Supreme Court.”
The apex court made it clear that with the CBI on the case now, the High Court will not “touch” the Vyapam cases.
The Special Task Force, supervised by the High Court-monitored Special Investigation Team, has lodged a number of FIRs relating to illegal admissions/recruitment totalling 55 cases, of which 45 related to admissions in professional courses and 10 to recruitment in government services on the recommendation of high-profile persons.
The court scheduled the next hearing for July 24 even as senior advocate Kapil Sibal sought an early date, saying every day, people related to the scam were being found dead.
“We will not allow the number of deaths to go up from 36 to 37 or 38. Not one more will die,” Chief Justice Dattu told senior advocates Mr. Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Indira Jaising appearing in the batch of petitions filed by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and three whistle-blowers.
“The toll is 48 not 36... anyway this is not cricket that we celebrate if the toll hits half century,” Mr. Sibal responded.
During the hearing, Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Madhya Pradesh government, said the State was already in favour of a CBI probe and the apex court could decide whatever it wanted.
Stand appreciated
The court agreed with Mr. Rohatgi’s submission that it was left entirely to the Bench to decide whether the CBI probe should be monitored by the Supreme Court.
“We appreciate the stand of the Attorney-General,” Chief Justice Dattu said in reaction to the M.P. government’s stand.
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