Congress to augment pressure on MP govt over PEB scam

Congress supporters were seen celebrating outside the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office on Wednesday when the unconfirmed news of Ramnaresh Yadav's resignation was received.

Congress supporters were seen celebrating outside the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office on Wednesday when the unconfirmed news of Ramnaresh Yadav's resignation was received.

PCC chief Arun Yadav said, "We have fought for justice for innumerable youth of the state who were cheated and the fight will continue."

The Congress party has also decided to augment pressure on the BJP government over the PEB scam.

The party leaders including leader of opposition Satyadev Katare and several legislators reached the Governor House and staged a demonstration.

Meanwhile, Special Investigation Team (SIT) chief, Justice Chandresh Bhushan on Wednesday affirmed that an FIR against Governor Ramnaresh Yadav was registered on Tuesday.

He has been charged of fraud and criminal conspiracy under section 417, 420, 467,468,471,477 (b) and 120 (B) of IPC and relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act in connection with forest guard recruitment scam- 2013, he said.

Justic Bhushan also named 13 remaining accused in the case excluding 87 candidates, who have been made accused in the case.

It was the first time that any SIT official has confirmed that a case has been registered against the governor.

The STF has referred to PEB’s former principal system analyst Nitin Mahindra’s statement in the FIR according to which the governor had recommended five candidates for selection as forest guards.

Mahindra, one of the main accused in the multi-layered MPPEB scam, told his interrogators that Pankaj Trivedi had given names of five candidates and had told him that these names were recommended by the ex-governor Yadav.