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India Inquiry Into Scandal Over Testing Set to Expand India Inquiry Into Scandal Over Testing Set to Expand
(about 2 hours later)
GWALIOR, India — The Supreme Court of India on Thursday ordered federal investigators to take over from a state police force in a sprawling two-year-old testing scandal that has involved nearly 2,000 arrests — and at least 23 deaths, some of them possibly suspicious. GWALIOR, India — The Supreme Court of India on Thursday ordered federal investigators to take over from a state police force in a sprawling two-year-old testing scandal that has involved about 2,000 arrests and at least 23 deaths, some of them possibly suspicious.
The scandal, in Madhya Pradesh state, involves professional placement exams and medical school admissions tests that are administered by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, known by its Hindi acronym, Vyapam. Those suspected of taking part in the racket have faced accusations that include leaking exam questions, rigging answer sheets and hiring impersonators to sit for tests.The scandal, in Madhya Pradesh state, involves professional placement exams and medical school admissions tests that are administered by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, known by its Hindi acronym, Vyapam. Those suspected of taking part in the racket have faced accusations that include leaking exam questions, rigging answer sheets and hiring impersonators to sit for tests.
The state police had been handling the investigation since 2013, but whistle-blowers and opposition politicians accused the Madhya Pradesh government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of conducting a half-hearted and compromised inquiry. State officials denied that, but in response to the criticism the state’s highest court had appointed a three-member special investigation unit to monitor the state inquiry. The state police had been handling the investigation since 2013, but whistle-blowers and opposition politicians accused the Madhya Pradesh government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of conducting a halfhearted and compromised inquiry. State officials denied that, but in response to the criticism, the state’s highest court had appointed a three-member special investigation unit to monitor the state inquiry.
The Supreme Court also ordered the central government to look into the deaths that have been linked to the scandal, the Press Trust of India reported. In March, a son of the state’s governor, Naresh Yadav, who was accused of being involved in the racket, died. The elder Mr. Yadav was named in a police complaint over the hiring of state workers, but a court ordered his name removed from the complaint because he has constitutional immunity. Then on July 4, a journalist who was interviewing the family of a young female student found dead near the railroad tracks himself died after suffering some sort of attack. Two deans of a state medical college have also died. The state authorities have downplayed connections between the exam racket and the deaths. But a member of the special investigation team, Vijay Raman, a retired police official, said that the deaths were “hampering the investigation,” and would not rule out a connection to those who did not want information to come to light. The Supreme Court also ordered the central government to look into the deaths that have been linked to the scandal, The Press Trust of India reported.
“Normal human criminal instinct, what is it?” he said. “Silence him.” In March, a son of the state’s governor, Ram Naresh Yadav, who was accused of being involved in the racket, died. The elder Mr. Yadav was named in a police complaint over the hiring of state workers, but a court ordered his name removed from the complaint because he has constitutional immunity. Then on July 4, a journalist who was interviewing the family of a young female student found dead near the railroad tracks himself died after suffering some sort of attack. Two deans of a state medical college have also died. Neither the journalist nor the two deans were on the state list.
The scandal reaches back to at least 2006, with the greatest number of cases involving entry into government medical colleges. Operatives would set up offices where students would pay a fee and make arrangements, according to Virendra Jain, a senior police official in the city of Gwalior. In some cases, students would leave answer forms blank, to be filled in later by someone else, said Chief Justice Chandresh Bhushan, the chairman of the special investigation unit. The state authorities have downplayed connections between the exam racket and the deaths. But a member of the special investigation team, Vijay Raman, a retired police official, said that the deaths were “hampering the investigation,” and would not rule out a connection to those who did not want information to come to light. “Normal human criminal instinct, what is it?” he said. “Silence him.”
“It’s just kind of mind boggling,” said Rasheed Kidwai, a journalist and political commentator in Bhopal, the state capital. Aside from the medical examination fraud, “they were also doing this recruitment of police guards, forest guards, excise inspectors. So this whole volume becomes huge.” The scandal reaches back to at least 2006, with the greatest number of cases involving entry into government medical colleges. Operatives would set up offices where students would pay a fee and make arrangements, according to Virendra Jain, a senior police official in Gwalior. In some cases, students would leave answer forms blank, to be filled in later by someone else, said Chief Justice Chandresh Bhushan,the chairman of the special investigation unit.
While most of those arrested have been impersonators, students who tried to benefit from the cheating, and other low-level suspects, officials said that higher figures could be involved. “It’s just kind of mind boggling,” said Rasheed Kidwai, a journalist and political commentator in Bhopal. Aside from the medical examination fraud, “they were also doing this recruitment of police guards, forest guards, excise inspectors. So this whole volume becomes huge.”
Mr. Bhushan cited the leaking of answer keys, saying that only an official of the examination board could have to have been behind that. While most of those arrested have been impersonators, students who tried to benefit from the cheating and other low-level suspects, officials said that higher figures could be involved.
Mr. Bhushan cited the leaking of answer keys, saying that only an official could have to have been responsible.