A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Gwalior has delivered a significant verdict in a long-pending case linked to the massive Vyapam recruitment scandal. On Thursday, the court convicted two individuals for impersonation during the 2012 Police Constable Recruitment Examination, sentencing both to seven years of rigorous imprisonment.
The Court's Verdict and Sentencing
The court found Ranveer and Harvendra Singh Chouhan, also known as Parvendra Kumar, guilty of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery. This case represents one of the early instances of impersonation that eventually unraveled into the sprawling Vyapam scam. Alongside the prison term, the court imposed a fine of Rs 11,000 on each convict. The official pronouncement of this order took place on December 4.
Case Origins and CBI Takeover
The roots of this case trace back to September 30, 2012, when an FIR (No. 770/2012) was registered at the Morena police station. The complaint was filed by the centre superintendent who reported that an impersonator had taken the Police Constable Recruitment Exam on behalf of a genuine candidate. Initially, the Morena police filed a chargesheet against Ranveer Singh while continuing investigations against Harvendra Singh Chouhan.
The case saw a major turn following the Supreme Court's directive to transfer all Vyapam-related cases to the CBI. Acting on this, the country's premier investigative agency took over the matter and registered a fresh case on August 8, 2015. The case was filed under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery, along with provisions of the Madhya Pradesh Recognized Examination Act of 1937.
Detailed Probe and Final Conviction
The CBI conducted a meticulous investigation, leading to the filing of two supplementary chargesheets. The first was filed against Ranveer Singh on September 30, 2016, and the second against Harvendra Singh Chouhan on September 29, 2017. Agency officials attributed the successful conviction to rigorous evidence-gathering and persistent prosecution efforts.
This conviction underscores the extensive malpractice and impersonation that plagued the 2012 recruitment process. After a complete trial, the court held both accused accountable, delivering a stern seven-year rigorous imprisonment sentence. This verdict marks another step in the long judicial process addressing the numerous irregularities of the Vyapam scam.
