Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In a landmark verdict linked to the infamous Vyapam scam, a special CBI Court in Indore on Friday convicted 12 accused and sentenced each to five years of rigorous imprisonment
in connection with impersonation and cheating in the MP Pre-Medical Test (PMT)–2011. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 6,000 on each convict.
The convicted include candidates, impersonators, and middlemen involved in an organised racket that manipulated the entrance examination process. The guilty are Ashish Yadav alias Ashish Singh; Satyendra Verma; Dheerendra Tiwari; Brijesh Jaiswal; Durga Prasad Yadav; Rakesh Kurmi, Narendra Chaurasiya; Abhilash Yadav; Khoob Chand Rajput; Pawan Rajput; Lakhan Dhangar; and Sunderlal Dhangar. Another accused, Deepak Gautam, was a juvenile at the time and was dealt with separately by the Juvenile Justice Board in July 2022.
The case dates to July 2011, when impersonation was detected at an MP PMT exam centre in Indore. Acting on a complaint by a government school deputy principal, police caught Satyendra Verma red-handed while appearing in place of another candidate.
Following Supreme Court directions, the CBI took over the investigation, uncovering a well-planned conspiracy where impersonators were brought to Indore via middlemen, accommodated in hotels, and provided forged documents and admit cards. After a detailed trial, the court held all 12 accused guilty and delivered the sentence.
