Suicide, poisoning? CBI starts probe into MP governer's Vyapam-linked son’s death

BHOPAL: The CBI on Monday registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) to probe the death of Madhya Pradesh governor Ram Naresh Yadav's son Shailesh on March 25. Shailesh was found dead under mysterious circumstances, at his house in Lucknow, after being booked by the Special Task Force (STF) for his alleged role in the Vyapam scam.

Surgeons who performed Shailesh's autopsy had failed to ascertain the cause of death despite a number of suggestions that he could have been poisoned, said sources. CBI officials are trying to ascertain whether it was a case of poisoning, suicide or drug overdose.

Shailesh's name sprang up in the scam in February 2015, after the STF filed a supplementary chargesheet before a special court in Bhopal. The chargesheet had a statement by an accused, Veerpal Yadav, who claimed he had handed over a list of 10 candidates to Shailesh.

Veerpal, a resident of UP, said in his memorandum (a copy of which was submitted by the STF in court) that apart from the list, he had given Rs 3 lakh to Shailesh through Vijay Pal. The statement was confirmed by Pal.

Officials at Raj Bhavan refused to accept STF summons for Shailesh, claiming he did not reside there. Subsequently, the STF dispatched a team to Yadav's native place in Uttar Pradesh to serve the summons.

The chargesheet was filed against former higher and technical education minister Laxmikant Sharma, his then OSD O P Shukla, mediator Veerpal Yadav and Arun Yadav for rigging the examination to select contract teachers (grade III) in 2011.