Vyapam scam: HC notices to govt over ‘mala fide’ transfers of whistleblower’s wife

Taking note of alleged ‘mala fide intentions’ of the state government in frequent transfers of Vyapam scam whistleblower Dr Anand Rai and his wife Dr Gauri Rai, the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court on Tuesday slapped notices on the state seeking explanation for the action within 48 hours.

Taking note of alleged ‘mala fide intentions’ of the state government in frequent transfers of Vyapam scam whistleblower Dr Anand Rai and his wife Dr Gauri Rai, the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court on Tuesday slapped notices on the state seeking explanation for the action within 48 hours.

Dr-Gauri-Rai-with-her-child-Dr-Rai-who-was-earlier-posted-in-Mhow-was-transferred-to-Ujjain-in-the-first-week-of-July-and-has-now-been-moved-to-Dhar-HT-file

While hearing a petition filed by Dr Anand Rai, the division bench comprising justices PK Jaiswal and TK Kaushal questioned the need to transfer Dr Anand Rai and his wife in view of the recent deaths linked to the Vyapam scam.

Dr Gauri Rai, who was earlier posted in Mhow, was transferred to Ujjain in the first week of July and has now been moved to Dhar, around 60 km from Indore.

Dr Rai alleged that the state government was harassing his family for exposing the multi-layered scam.

“They have a problem with me, but they are troubling my wife,” he said.

The petitioner’s counsel senior advocate Anand Mohan Mathur told the court that the transfers were made with mala fide intentions against the whistleblower for raising his voice against the state government.

Senior advocate Mathur said, “Dr Rai has been at the forefront in raising his voice against the government in the Vyapam scam. He complained about involvement of the CMO (chief minister’s office) in the scam, involvement of state health minister Narottam Mishra in the scam, (and) these administrative actions against him and his family clearly shows the state’s malevolence against him.”

Dr Rai has also challenged the state government’s move to transfer them to Dhar district.

“I had complained against senior BJP leader Vikram Verma, who is an influential leader in Dhar and Neena Verma, the wife of Vikram Verma, is an MLA from Dhar. Now the state has transferred us to Dhar just to harass us,” said Rai.

The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for Thursday.

Read: Whistleblower Rai’s wife transferred twice in month