Akshay Singh's death case: MP CM assures fair probe, lambasts Oppn over Vyapam scam

Bhopal: Fresh trouble appears to loom for the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday with a journalist dying under mysterious circumstances after having interviewed parents of a girl who had been found dead near railway tracks after her name figured in the mysterious Vyapam scam.

Shortly after the incident, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured that a proper investigation would be conducted into the death of journalist Akshay Singh.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Chouhan said, "The post mortem is being videographed so that the truth about the death comes out. There will be a proper investigation into the incident. We will leave no stone unturned."

"It is very sad that a young journalist died like this. I can understand his family's pain. I can assure them that there will be no lapse in the probe. We stand with his family," he added.

The Madhya Pradesh CM also lambasted the Opposition for its allegations regarding the case.

"It is unfortunate. This Vyapam case was not brought out by the opposition. I was the one who brought it out in the open. If the government initiates any investigation, it is about an event but I thought that I have to clean the system and that is why I ordered the STF to conduct an in-depth probe," said Chouhan.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh has demanded that the Akshya Singh's viscera samples to be sent to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Earlier, Medical Doctor, Dahod Civil Hospital, Dr Ashok Bachani had said that the post mortem report of Akshay Singh did not show any foul play.

"To determine the reason behind death, we have sent viscera for histopathology and forensic analysis. After reports come in, we'll be able to give the reason behind his death," Dr Bachani added.

Akshay Singh, a journalist with TV Today Group, died suddenly today when he had gone to take an interview of the family of a slain Vyapam scam accused in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh.

Reports say that Singh felt chest pain when he was taking the interview. He was taken to Meghnagar hospital where he was declared brought dead. 

After 44 deaths in two years in the mysterious Vyapam scam, Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh had earlier asked for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe under the monitoring of Supreme Court.

The Congress leader had filed a petition in the apex court, seeking an SC-monitored CBI investigation into the Vyapam scam, which has snowballed into a huge mystery.

The Special Investigating Team (SIT) probing the scandal had submitted to the MP High Court that 23 deceased in the MPPEB scam had died unnatural deaths so far.

Refusing to order a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the deaths, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Babu Lal Gaur claimed that the deaths have no connection to the Vyapam scam.

The most high-profile death in connected with case has been that of Shailesh Yadav, son of Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav. Shailesh (50) was found dead at his father's residence in Mall Avenue area of Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow on March 25, 2015.

(With Agency inputs)