Vyapam: Prime accused in Vyapam scam arrested by CBI and UP STF

Lucknow: The prime accused in the Vyapam scam Ramesh Shivhare alias Chandra has been arrested by the joint team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UPSTF) on Tuesday night from Awas Vikas Colony under Kalyanpur Police Station in Kanpur.

Shivhare is one of the main accused in the multi-crore cash-for-seats Vyapam scam and he was absconding for the last three years and carried a reward of Rs 10,000.

Uttar Pradesh DGP Javeed Ahmed said. “We have arrested Shivhare this morning. He is wanted by CBI in several cases in the Vyapam scam.”

Shivhare acted as a middleman and arranged for impostors and dummy candidates to appear in the examination carried out by Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board for a certain amount.

A court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him and also ordered attachment of his property. And will be produced before a competent court today after which he will be taken to Bhopal.

A bench of Chief Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice Alok Aradhe had said. “There is material to indicate the involvement of applicant in the commission of the crime, for which reason, the Investigating Officer has been insisting for attendance of the applicant for quite some time but in vain.”

As per the sources the CBI has registered 112 cases against more than 2,000 accused, including high-level officials and politicians.