The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a petition seeking removal of Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav on the ground of his alleged involvement in the scam in the massive admission and recruitment scam in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board.
A bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justices Arun Kumar Mishra and Amitava Roy said that it will hear the petition about the Vyapam scam relating to the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) along with other pleas on the issue on July 9.
The petition, filed by a group of lawyers, has sought removal of Yadav and recording of his statement in the case.
Earlier, the Apex court had granted four months more time to the Special Investigation Team, constituted following a high court order, to conclude probe into the case.
The multi-crore rupees professional examination scam, involves several high-profile professionals, politicians and bureaucrats as accused.
The alleged scam involves MPPEB, which holds examinations for various posts such as teachers, medical officers, constables and forest guards.
Listing the enormous functions of the Governor -- appointment of district judges, promotion and their transfer; consultation by the President in the appointment, posting and transfer of the judges of the high court and appointment of vice-chancellors of various universities -- they said the larger issue being raised by them in the present writ petition is whether a tainted Governor can be allowed to continue discharging constitutional duties.
Importantly, the MP Special Task Force had also lodged an FIR against the Governor in connection with the Vyapam scam.
The SIT had found Governor's son Shailesh guilty and an FIR was also registered against him. The agency had also found Governor prima facie guilty and sought permission from the high court to proceed against him.
The high court later gave its permission to SIT to initiate probe against Ram Naresh Yadav and his son.
Ram Naresh Yadav came on the radar of investigating agencies following his son, Shailesh's alleged involvement in the scam.
Shailesh had accepted money to get his 10 candidates selected in the eligibility test conducted for appointment to contract teachers' grade III whose examination was conducted by Vyapam.
Shailesh later died under mysterious circumstances. Yadav's son, Shailesh, is among the 46 people linked to the scam who have died over the last three years, triggering allegations of a murky inquiry by the Opposition.
