Vyapam scam: BJP Minister Vijayvargiya defends remarks on deceased journalist, says he was only 'joking'

Bhopal: After stirring up the controversy over the death of a journalist in the high-profile Vyapam scam, Madhya Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya defended himself by saying that he was only 'joking'.

"I did not say anything controversial on Akshay Singh's death. Some channels are playing my statement out of context. I was only joking and my sentiments are hurt," Vijayvargiya said.

Vijayvargiya had stoked a controversy by calling himself more important than the deceased journalist who died while reporting on the multi-crore scam.

"Forget that journalist who died. Is he more important than I am?," asked Vijayvargiya.

TV Today journalist Akshay Singh died under mysterious circumstances in Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh, soon after he had interviewed the parents of a girl who was found dead after her name figured in the massive admission and recruitment scandal.

Under attack after over 40 deaths in Vyapam scam, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the government will write to the High Court-appointed SIT to "thoroughly investigate" journalist's death.

Madhya Pradesh government on Sunday agreed to get the viscera samples of the journalist tested at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi as demanded by the latter's relative.

Interestingly, India Today group, where Singh was employed, has also urged the state government to send his viscera sample to a forensic laboratory outside the state, preferably AIIMS at Delhi, for a transparent examination.

The Vyapam scam has become a major political controversy with numerous witnesses and accused dying under mysterious circumstances. The Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam relates to irregularities in admission in state-run medical colleges and recruitment in government jobs.

Alleged financial and administrative irregularities, including unauthorised disposal of application forms, worth crores of rupees by the MPPEB have been pointed out in an audit report.

The MPPEB conducts entrance and recruitment tests for admission in medical and engineering courses, and selection in certain government services, among others.

It has been alleged that corrupt officials at the board took money to compromise the examination and recruitment for several professional courses. These courses include pre-engineering, pre-medical, MCA, teaching etc.